Job offer
by bigk4062
Summary: Kaiba makes an offer to Joey that he hopes the blond won't refuse
1. Chapter 1

"So what is it you wanted to meet me for anyway Kaiba?"

Joey asked, stirring his tea absentmindedly. It had been six years since their high school graduation, and the two duelists had only seen each other sporadically ever since. Kaiba had thrown himself into work, and Joey had managed to make it into college to become a chef.

"You act surprised Wheeler. You're still one of the top ranked duelist in the world, and you don't think I could use you in some of my business dealings? Even wanna-be's have a fan base."

Kaiba took a sip of his own tea, watching Joey carefully. The blond snorted, rolling his eyes.

"You have some nerve talking about my dueling skills Kaiba. I'll have you know I still get invites to Pegasus's tournaments, and I make it into the semi-finals without even having to do anything."

Joey glared at the taller brunet, taking in the slightly older man's appearance. The faint lines around his eyes, the tired look on his face, all signs that Kaiba was pushing himself way to hard.

"Your brother told me you don't come home anymore. He says he misses you."

"Mokuba does just fine by himself, he's in college now. He doesn't need me anymore."

Kaiba informed him stiffly, nodding at the waitress as she put dinner in front of them. Joey couldn't help but drool at the delicious smells coming from his plate. Even though he was a chef, he could still appreciate other's culinary adventures, which often gave him inspiration for a new meal.

He dug in, smiling and humming to himself as he ate. Kaiba watched him silently, sighing to himself. He pulled an envelope out of his coat and laid it on the table, pushing it casually towards the blond.

"Here is my proposal. Yugi is already working on our newest Duel Disk System. I'm looking for someone to be a test subject, someone who Yugi can take criticism from and who can take it from him. I want someone who can be part of the face of Duel Monsters, someone who can appeal to the average man on the street."

Joey traced the outline of the envelope, contemplating Kaiba's proposal.

"I'm not really interested in your new system Kaiba. All it does it take away money that I could be using to buy new cards, which is the whole point of playing the game. Plus, I'm not good with technology. I'm a chef, I create food not machines."

Kaiba nodded, pulling out a note pad to write something down.

"So what would you suggest then? Kaiba Corp hasn't come out with a new system in four years... our stocks are down, we need something to get people interested in dueling again or we might tank."

Joey shrugged, leaning back in his chair.

"The whole game has gotten too expensive, with not enough pay off for casual duelists. Maybe you need to think about finding a new niche to go in. Something different that will light a spark under people's butts and get them excited about the game again."

Kaiba hummed to himself, writing something else down before snapping the notebook shut. He stared intensely at Joey, watching as the blond squirmed.

"I appreciate the job offer Kaiba, but I don't think you and I working together is a great idea. We barely kept from killing each other in High School, and I don't think we are much better equipped to deal with emotions now."

Joey said, pushing the envelope back towards the CEO. Kaiba didn't even look at it, just shook his head.

"You haven't even considered my offer Joey, why don't you look at my proposal and think about it? Take a week, and I'll meet you back here and you can give me your decision."

"What's a week going to do Kaiba? I don't want to work with you, and that's final."

Kaiba held up a hand, shaking his head.

"You owe me for all the times I saved your butt mutt, all the times I helped you and your friends get out of whatever jam you were all in. The times you used my money and influence for personal reasons, and the fact that I have to put up with you at every tournament I throw."

Joey snatched the envelope, shoving it into his pocket.

"Fine Kaiba, I'll look over your proposal. If you'll excuse me I have to go throw up now."

Joey got up and left the table, aware that Kaiba's eyes were on him the whole walk to the bathroom.  
The next day, Joey was woken up by his phone going off insistently. Groaning, he rolled over, knocking the phone off the table as he blindly tried to find it. Finally, he picked it up, blinking as he stared at the bright screen.

"3 messages from Mokuba? Why is he texted me so early in the morning?"

He muttered to himself, dropping the phone back on the end table. He groaned, stretching as he rolled over, cuddling with a pillow on the empty side of the bed. He doze off, only to be woken again by that annoying beeping noise.

"What do you want Mokuba?"

He growled to himself, reaching for the phone. Yugi's name flashed on the scene, making Joey frown. Messages from Yugi and Mokuba before the sun was even up? What was going on? Tiredly he dialed Yugi's number, figuring it was better than waiting for a message to get back to him.

"Hey Yug, what's wrong... Well I figured it was something if you were texting me so early... yea, we met last night for dinner, it didn't go too well... some Italian place that cost more for a plate of pasta than I make in a week..."

Joey's voice trailed off, listening as Yugi chatted away on the other end of the phone. Joey sighed, not really interested in letting his best friend talk him into taking this job.

"Yea I know Yug' it would be fun to work together but I have too much going on right now... besides I love my job I don't want to quit when I'm so close to getting a promotion."

Yugi yammered on for a few more minutes while Joey barely listened.

"Ok Yug' I'm going back to sleep, I've got to work the late shift tonight... Yes I promise I'll think about the job proposal... I'm off on Monday we can talk about it then... good night."

Joey hung up, deciding to ignore Mokuba in favor of getting a few hours of sleep.

The weekend passed quickly, and Monday found Joey outside the Game Shop sweeping the sidewalk for Grandpa as the older man stocked shelves. Joey hummed to himself, enjoying the sun on his face. Working the late night shift stunk, but it was necessary to gain the experience he needed to get a better job.

Unfortunately, it cut into what little free time the gang all had to see each other, but they all did the best they could. Right now though, all Joey wanted was to get his best friend and take off, hit the arcade and get a burger and just forget for a few hours that they were adults with real responsibilities. Finally, Grandpa came out, looking over Joey's work approvingly.

"Yugi will be out in a minute Joey. I think the two of you should get out of here before I find other work for him too do."

Joey cheered at that, thanking the older man profusely. Yugi bounced out of the house a few minutes later, waving at his Grandpa as he hopped on the back of Joey's bike, securing a helmet over his combed out hair.

The ride was quick, and soon they were at Burger World, still their favorite hang out even after all these years. They grabbed their favorite table and quickly put an order in, relaxing in the booth as the waitress left them. Joey checked his phone, grinning.

"Mokuba's on his way over, he's just leaving Kaiba Corp."

The blond stated, pushing his phone to the corner of the table. Yugi smiled, taking a drink out of the water the waitress had left.

"So, have you thought anymore about what Kaiba suggested? I think it would be so much fun to work together!"

Yugi said, bouncing in his booth seat.

"I already told you that I wasn't interested in the job Yug, lets not ruin our day together talking about this."

Joey stated sternly, folding his arms as if to drive his point home.

"Ok Joey, I won't bring it up again." "Thank you. Now have you heard from Tea lately?"

The two friends quickly brought each other up to speed with what they knew about their group of friends, pausing only to greet Mokuba as the younger boy join their table. Once they were done, Joey turned to him, a teasing grin on his face.

"So Mokuba, any lucky young ladies in the picture yet?"

Mokuba groaned, burying his face in his hands.

"I already get interrogated by Seto about my dating life, now I have to hear about it from you two? I swear, I'm not seeing or sleeping with anyone I don't have any time!"

He said, looking over at the two boys.

"I'm surprised the girls don't fall all over you, you're such a handsome young man."

Yugi chimed in, reaching over to affectionately ruffle the raven hair. Mokuba death glared the two men, who were too busy trying not to laugh to worry. Mokuba sighed, turning his attentions to Joey.

"Speaking of which, Seto wants you to join him for dinner again on Thursday. That's still your other day off right?"

"Yea, but I don't know why he wants to do dinner again I already told him how I felt about the job, it's a nice offer but still..."

Yugi smiled reassuringly.

"Maybe he thinks you'll find it harder to turn him down if it's face to face."

"Yea, because I've never been able to tell Kaiba off too his face before."

Joey stated dryly, causing the other two to laugh. The three boys began to tell stories from their miss-spent youth, pausing only to take huge mouthfuls of burgers from the plates their waitress had brought.

Thursday rolled around, and Joey was standing in front of the mirror checking his outfit. Once Mokuba had left to go back to work, Yugi had suggested that Joey buy some nicer looking clothes for his business dinner with Kaiba. When Joey had protested, Yugi had stood firm.

"I know you don't want this job, but you should treat it like any interview. Use it as practice when a job comes that you truly do want."

Joey had agreed reluctantly, and picked out several new shirts and pants. The red button-down shirt and black slacks fit perfectly, and Joey couldn't help but smiled. Dressing in red and black was his favorite thing to do, an homage to his loyal dragon that still protected him.

He glanced over at the wall clock, noting that he still had a few minutes before he had to meet with Kaiba. The brunet had offered to send a car, but Joey had insisted that wasn't necessary, wanting an out if the meal became awkward.

His phone buzzed, and he flipped it open to see a message from Yugi, wishing him luck on his 'interview.' Joey smiled at that, grabbing his keys and walking out the door.

"You do realize we've seen each other more in the past week than we have in a year right Kaiba?"

Joey stated dryly, watching as their waiter poured water into their wine goblets. Kaiba had offered something stronger, but Joey didn't drink much because of his father, which Kaiba had accepted.

"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good."

Kaiba replied, sipping his water and nodding. Joey took a sip too, blinking in surprise at the taste. "What is this? It doesn't taste like any water I've ever tried before."

"That's because it's not. This place imports it's water from Denmark. It's called Iskilde, and it had a very high oxygen content which gives it those bubbles and changes the taste."

Joey frowned, tasting the water again experimentally.

"It's interesting I'll give you that Kaiba."

The CEO sat back, nodding to himself. Joey watched him carefully, wondering when the whole point of this dinner would come up. When Kaiba didn't say anything, Joey sighed again. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the envelope Kaiba had given him last week, setting it on the table.

"So when do I formally tell you I don't want this job? Now so we don't have to sit through dinner with each other, or after we are forced to make small talk?"

Kaiba leaned forward, placing a hand on the envelope.

"You never even opened this did you?"

He questioned, focusing his ice blue eyes on Joey's honey brown ones.

"I'm not interested in the job Kaiba. I didn't want to open this and have you offer me some ridiculous salary that made me second guess my decision."

Kaiba snorted at that, still staring at Joey.

"You should read it, I think you'd find it rather interesting."

Joey rolled his eyes, picking up the envelope and opening it. He skimmed over the first few lines before the meaning of what he was reading sunk in. He froze, re-reading over and over again. He looked up at Kaiba, a question in his eyes. Kaiba shook his head slightly, watching as Joey's eyes got bigger and bigger. The letter dropped on the table while Joey kept looking at Kaiba without blinking. "You... have feelings for me?"

A/N: Iskilde is a real water brand... I was reading an article about water tasting and thought it was interesting. I had plans to make this into a longer story but I decided to leave it where it is for now. Hope you enjoyed!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: When I was writing a chapter for Survivor's Guilt, I wanted to write something that was a little bit fluffier. I started writing something else, then scrapped it when I finally came up with this idea. I can't believe how many people enjoyed this little fic. Special thanks to Hannah and AnonymousTigress for reviewing and to ShayyRenee who was nice enough to follow my story!

Yugi settled into a booth, looking out the window. He looked down at his watch, waiting impatiently. A sudden noise startled him, and he looked up to see Mokuba sliding into the other side of his booth, breathing out an apology.

"It's about time, where have you been."

Mokuba grinned, snickering to himself.

"Seto was a nervous wreck, I was trying to keep him calm. He still thinks I don't know what's going on, he can be so oblivious sometimes."

Yugi laughed, imagining Kaiba sweating over a date like a teenage boy.

"So, when are we allowed to know what's happening over there?"

Yugi wondered, pointing across the street to the restaurant that Joey and Kaiba would be eating at shortly.

"Hopefully soon, I can't wait to tease Seto about this."

Mokuba answered, looking out the window himself.

"Hey, there's Seto right there, he's early. Good thing we got here when we did or the whole thing would be ruined."

Yugi nodded in agreement, glancing out the window himself.

"I'm just impressed you managed to get your brother to make reservations at the one nice restaurant in town that's across the street from a coffee house."

Mokuba laughed, picking up the menu.

"Don't worry Yugi, this place is just as exclusive as that restaurant. It's only $15 a cup, and they don't offer free refills."

Yugi's eyes got huge, looking over the menu.

"It's a good thing you have a rich friend huh Yugi."

Yugi nodded quickly, wondering quietly if he should just leave.

"Hey there's Joey!"

Mokuba shouted, pointing out the window.

"Good, he's wearing the outfit I picked out for him the other day."

Yugi said approvingly, smiling while he watched his friend walk into the building. Mokuba nodded, approving of Joey's clothing choice.

"Well, since things seem to be going well, how about we order?"

He suggested, waving over a waitress.

"Seriously though Yugi, it's on me. Even if things don't work out between Joey and Seto you've been a huge help in all of this."

Yugi looked at the menu one more time before nodded, silently calculating in his head how much he felt comfortable spending on the meal.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Joey sat back in his chair, staring unblinking at the CEO in front of him. After Kaiba had failed to answer his initial outburst, Joey had refused to speak, waiting instead for Kaiba to say something. The brunet was ignoring him, currently talking over the menu with the waitress. The young woman disappeared, returning a minute later with a plate of something Joey couldn't identify. Kaiba scooped some onto Joey's plate, pushing it towards Joey before he scooped some for himself.

"Try some Wheeler, you should take this as a chance to gain some culture."

Joey ignored the comment, not wanting to be goated into a fight with the other man. He looked down at the letter again, reading over the words again.

"Who in the hell confesses to liking someone by offering them a job?"

He asked, unable to comprehend what was happening.

"I wouldn't do that, that's considered sexual harassment Wheeler."

"Than what do you call this Rich Boy?"

Joey yelled, waving around the piece of paper like Kaiba had forgotten about it. Kaiba shook his head, reaching into his suit pocket to produce an envelope.

"Does this look familiar to you? This is the envelope I gave you last week. It does contain a job offer, outlining the specific criteria you and I had talked about. When I knew for certain that you weren't going to take the offer, I switched the envelopes."

Joey looked down at the envelope curiously, recognizing the crinkles from when he had shoved it in his pocket.

"I don't get it? Why would you offer me a job if you wanted to date me?"

Kaiba sighed, leaning back in the chair.

"That's not important right now Wheeler. I'm still waiting for your answer to my proposal."

"I have an answer. You're crazy."

Joey pushed away from the table, tossing the sheet down in the process. Kaiba didn't budge, staring down at his plate as Joey stalked out of the restaurant. He didn't make it far before his phone started ringing, a quick glance showing it was Yugi.

"Hey Yug what's up... no I just left... yes I turned down the job... the other offer? You knew what was going on and you didn't tell me... I don't care what he had you sign, I'm your best friend, you don't betray them... where are you?... No I'm not going back in there... yea, you and what army?... this is ridicilous... Fine, but you owe me big time."

Joey hung up the phone with a huff, shaking his head in frustration. Closing his eyes, he took several deep breaths before he turned on his heels and marched back into the restaurant.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mokuba and Yugi had settled into an easy conversation, catching up on each other's lives. Even though Yugi worked for the company, he very rarely had the chance to talk to either of the Kaiba brother's except for meetings. Yugi was impressed with Mokuba's intelligence, and his ability to empathize with other's emotions, one of the traits that his older brother sorely missed.

"Hey Yugi, isn't that Joey?"

Mokuba questioned, pointing out the window. Yugi looked out, then glanced at his watch.

"It's too early for them to have had dinner, Joey must have bailed. Let me call him and see what's up. I hope they didn't get into a fight." Yugi picked up his phone, quickly talking to Joey. Mokuba tried not to laugh, shaking his head at Yugi as the shorter man winked at him.

"Oh I'm sitting across the street, you need to give him a chance Joey... don't make me drag you back in there...That's something you'll have to find out... just hear him out Joey, he certainly tried hard enough... I'm proud of you Joey have fun!"

Yugi hung up, grinning from ear to ear as Mokuba tried not to choke as he continued to laugh. Yugi dissolved into giggles himself, and both men shared a joyous moment. It ended with a sharp bang, and they both looked over to see Joey at the window, glaring at them.

Mokuba offered an innocent grin, while Yugi's eyes just got huge. Joey shook his head at the two of them, causing even more laughter. Mokuba quickly tapped something into his phone, smiling at Joey the whole time.

The blond looked at his own phone, paling at the information on the screen. He scowled at the two boys before marching off, back across the street before entering the restaurant.

"What did you say to him Mokuba?"

Yugi wondered, watching as his friend disappeared.

"Just wanted to let him know that I left some stuff in the limo for them if the date goes well."

Yugi blinked, Mokuba's comment sinking in before he shook his head sadly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kaiba still sat at the table, staring at his entree. When Joey left, he sighed to himself. He should have ran more analysis on the situation before he made his move. He had hoped that Joey would have been so stunned that he would have given Kaiba a chance to explain his position. Instead, he was by himself, staring at a quickly cooling plate.

"What makes you think I'm gay?"

Kaiba looked up, surprised that Joey had sat himself down again at the table.

"I mean, the last time you and I really spent time together I was head over heels in love with Mai. We'd been together for years. She was my first for everything, and I pretty much worshiped the ground she walked on. Why would I switch teams all the sudden?"

"You man have been in love with Mai, but you've have several boyfriend's since then. I might not see Yugi too often but he doesn't have a problem letting me know what you and the rest of the nerds have been up too."

Joey sighed, realizing that his best friend was nothing but a rat.

"So what, all those years of tormenting me was some kind of foreplay for you? Do you get off name calling people you have feelings for or something?"

Joey asked, shaking his head at the CEO. Kaiba smiled, leaning over the table.

"You call it torment, I call it foreplay."

Joey blinked, his mind flashing back to the text that Mokuba had sent him.

"I don't put out on the first date Kaiba."

He finally said, once his mind had caught back up to the conversation.

"Well, we could say this is our second date, since you left and came back."

Kaiba suggested, looking over at the blond.

"Nice try Kaiba, but it's going to take a lot more than a nice meal to convince me to do anything with you."

Joey said, folding his arms over his chest. Kaiba nodded, thinking to himself.

"Well, what can I do to convince you that this is a good idea?"

He asked, running his hand up Joey's leg under the table, watching for a reaction. Joey ignored it, looking Kaiba over carefully.

"Can we just have dinner right now and see what happens?"

Joey asked, and Kaiba nodded, removing his hand and picking up a fork, going back to picking over his now cold meal. Joey did the same, and the two boys ate in silence, stealing quick glances at each other when the other wasn't looking, both trying not to smile.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I still amazes me how many people enjoyed this fic. Since I'm going to make this longer than I originally planned, I'm going to slow things down a little bit. Someone on another site mentioned that they thought Joey was a little out of character, but I was trying to make him a little bit older and more mature. Thank you to Hannah for reviewing twice, and SweetNarryFairy for reviewing, as well as CyberTutu, SweetNarryFairy, and .9275 for putting me on alert and SweetNarryFairy for favorite me! I hope I continue to continue all of your support!

Yugi woke up and stretched, enjoying the last few seconds before he had to get up for the day. While for many people the weekends were a time to relax, for him it was almost as busy. He would work in the shop for awhile, then go out on various celebrity trips for Kaiba Corp.

Even though Duel Monsters had spread all over the world, Domino City was still the number one stop for people interested in the game, wanting to visit the various sites that many famous tournaments had taken place at.

This weekend was another tournament, where Yugi would be signing endless autographs. Of course, if Kaiba wasn't too busy The brunet still hadn't beaten Yugi, which only caused him major angst. Personally, Yugi was hoping that Kaiba's growing interest in Joey would be enough to stop his constant battles with Yugi. If that didn't work, Yugi might just have to refuse to ever play the game again.

He wandered into the bathroom for a shower, humming and smiling to himself. Dressing quickly, he wandered downstairs, intent on making breakfast for himself before heading out to greet the day.

To his surprise, Joey was in the kitchen already pulling something out of the oven. Yugi smiled at his best friend, relieved to see him so happy.

"How did the rest of the night go Joey? I was expecting to hear from you at some point yesterday but you never called."

He asked, settling into a seat while he watched Joey plate up his breakfast pizza. Joey shrugged, shaking his head.

"It ended with me in bed. Alone, as usual."

Joey plopped down on his seat, digging into his breakfast.

"Did you have a nice time at least? Mokuba and I didn't see you guys leave at all."

Joey stared at his plate, lost in thought.

"Well, I'm a little confused right now. I mean, Kaiba has been an idiot as long as we have known him. What made you think that I would be interested in being in a relationship with him?"

Yugi's eyebrows shot up, almost falling off his seat in surprise.

"I didn't mean to force you into anything Joey , I just thought that it would be kind of nice to see you happy."

Joey snorted at that, stabbing at his breakfast.

"Well, stop trying to make me so 'happy.' I'm perfectly content with what I have right now, I don't need people trying to ruin my life or decide what I need."

Yugi nodded, wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry Joey, I didn't mean to make you angry. I guess I was so shocked when Mokuba told me how his brother felt, and what he was planning on doing I thought maybe it was kind of nice. It's not often that someone goes through so many hoops to tell someone that they're interested in them after all. I hope you can forgive me."

Joey tapped the table, trying to sort through his thoughts.

"Listen Yug, I don't have feelings for Kaiba. At least not those kind. He's been an ass to me, mocking and rolling his eyes everytime we see each other. What do you think is going to happen if we start to date? He's just looking for a way to keep on tormenting me."

Joey stated, looking Yugi in the eyes. Yugi looked down at the counter, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks.

"I don't know what to say to that Joey. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you? I don't want to fight with you about Kaiba."

Joey tapped his chin thoughtfully, looking up at the ceiling. Yugi waited, realizing that his friend did have something planned.

"I don't know what I want Yugi. I just know it's going to take a lot more than an apology to make up for what happened. You shouldn't play games with people's emotions, and now I have to deal with Kaiba thinking I'm going to be shacking up with him."

Yugi bit his lip, not sure of what to say to his friend. The clock on the wall dinged, and Yugi realized that it was time to go. Joey didn't budge, still poking away at his breakfast.

"Joey, I have to go. Please, call me when you're ready to figure this out, and know how sorry I am that I hurt you."

With that Yugi hugged the blond around the waist and got up, grabbing his keys before waving as he ran out the door. Joey watched him go before picking up a plate and bringing it to Yugi's Grandpa, who was busy getting the shop ready for another day.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yugi smiled at yet another duelist who was waiting for his autograph, being told another story about watching him duel on tv. It had only been two hours, but Yugi was ready to go. Maybe it was the fact that Joey was upset with him, but today just kept dragging on.

Even Kaiba noticed Yugi's slight change in demeanor, wondering what was wrong. Yugi hadn't shared with him the content of his morning discussion with Joey, only giving brief tidbits to Mokuba when the younger boy had stopped by. Both of them were concerned, wondering how they would handle it when Kaiba found out how Joey really felt.

Yugi kept signing and talking until his lunch, a blissful hour where he could do whatever he wanted. After years of doing these signings, Kaiba had figured out the best way to avoid the confusion and arguing that accompanied many of his previous events.

Before the event, people would sigh up online or through the Kaiba Corp box office. They would get numbers for the events they choose, such as dueling and one-on-one with different contestants. Numbers would be logged into the Kaiba Corp system, and when theirs was close to being called, a text would go out which they were required to answer. If they didn't, their number was skipped until they responded and then it was put into the line up again.

It seemed to work, every tournament Yugi went to had less and less arguments about people waiting in line.

The best part was once it hit Yugi's lunch time, he only had to finish up the line he had then he could leave, the people still on the list notified that they would be up after his break. Yugi finished up with his last customer, shaking the young boys hand as he squealed a goodbye.

"Hey Yug." Joey said, appearing in front of the table. "Joey! I thought you couldn't come today! I'm about to go on lunch, would you like to join me?" Yugi asked, standing up with a smile. "Actually Yug, I'm hear about something else. I've been thinking about it, and I'll eventually get over it. After

all, it's not like you meant to cause trouble, you've just been watching way too many of those American soap opera's Tea likes."

Yugi smiled, relieved that Joey wasn't too upset.

"So, what are you doing here then? Want to help me field some fan-boy questions?"

Yugi smiled brightly at Joey who shook his head.

"Actually Yug' I've got a better idea... I want you to duel me at the big tournament today. A real duel, one with your title on the line."

Yugi blinked, not sure what he was agreeing too.

"A duel? I don't want to duel you Joey you're my best friend... besides, we've dueled plenty of times before with the same result. Why would this be any different?"

"We haven't dueled in the lime light for years Yugi, in fact, we haven't challenged each other since Duelist Kingdom. I know I beat you after Battle City but that was because you and Yami went easy on me. I think it would be a hoot. I've gotten some new cards and tweaked my deck some. You never know, maybe you'll finally be dethroned."

Yugi blinked again, trying to push away the little knot that was forming in his chest.

"I won't go easy on you Joey, if you really want to challenge me, I will play to win."

"I'm not asking you to feel sorry for me Yugi. I want a real battle. I want a chance to beat you and rub it in Kaiba's face. I want to prove I'm not pathetic and all the things that he used to call me."

"If that's what you really want Joey, I'm not one to back down from a challenge."

Yugi grinned, looking over at his friend.

"But if you want to make it official, we should make an announcement at the tournament... let me ask Mokuba when he can squeeze us in."

Yugi picked up his phone, texting Mokuba.

"Well, Mokuba's going to check the schedule and get back to us. This is going to be fun, I can't wait until we get a chance to duel!"

Yugi jumped up and walked around the table, and linked his arm around Joey's.

"How about we get some lunch? It's on Kaiba Corp after all."

Joey smiled and agreed, bending his head down to whisper something into his best friend's ear. The two boys settled on their old hangout Burger World, sliding into their favorite booth. Yugi smiled at a group of kids that were pointing at them and giggling, recognizing them as duelists by the disks on their arms.

After ordering, they both leaned back, giving into the routine of old friends. Suddenly, Yugi's phone went off, followed quickly by Joey's. Yugi picked up his phone, reading the message from his Grandpa in surprise.

"It looks like our duel is on Joey, Grandpa said that people are already talking about it in the shop, wonder how they found out."

Joey silently showed Yugi his own phone, where Tristan had texted him the link to the news story he had found.

"Guess when you're important news travels fast."

Yugi laughed, shaking his head.

"Mokuba works quick, I'll give him that. He must have called in to the news or something for it to have traveled like this."

Joey stared at his phone, reading over the quickly typed article. It was filled with reminders of past tournaments he had lost, times Lady Luck had forsaken him because of a bigger destiny it had in mine. He wondered silently if he was making a mistake, but it was too late to back out now. The two boys finished up their meals, discussing their upcoming battle amid constant dinging of their phones. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner and reigning champion of Duel Monsters is... Yugi Moto!"

Yugi waved to the cheering crowd, smiling at everyone for what seemed like forever. Mokuba had scheduled their duel at the end of the tournament, after all the trophies had been distributed. Most of the crowds had stuck around, cheering good-naturally as the two boys faced off.

The crowd had been behind Joey for the most part, human nature wanting to give the underdog adoration. At the end, it came down to luck, Yugi managing to use Mirror Force to redirect Joey's attack and taking away his last 300 life points to boot.

Joey's face was covered in sweat, shaking as he was lowered down to the ground. Kaiba may be an ass, but he had poured major money into his hologram system, and every time Joey played it felt like a new experience.

Once he reached the bottom, he jumped off, rushing over to hug his best friend. Yugi hugged him back, beaming at winning the duel. Even after all these years, every time he won a tournament without Yami felt like a small miracle. Yugi knew that his title of King of Games really belonged to his other half, and every time he proved he didn't need Yami to win was a reminder of how far he had come.

Yugi smiled at the camera, arms still wrapped around his best friend. Then Mokuba appeared, with Tristan Duke Ryou and Grandpa close behind.

"Yugi! You won! Good job man!"

Tristant said, giving the shorter boy a pat on the shoulder. Duke stood behind him, fiddling with the dice hanging from his ear.

"Yea, because you've never won a tournament before or anything, what a surprise."

He added, winking over at Joey. The blond frowned, still annoyed that Tristan had married Duke of all people even after all these years.

"How about we go another round dice boy? You may have beaten me once, but I believe since then the win percentage has gone soundly in my favor. Wouldn't you agree Duke."

The raven-haired man rolled his eyes, not looking to start a war with his husbands best friend. Mokuba wiggled in between the two, using his 6 foot 5 inch frame to separate them before they could continue their fight.

"You two were great the crowd loved it! That was awesome!"

He said, pulling out his cell phone.

"It's already trending on four different websites, and people are asking when you guys will duel again! I bet once the ratings come in this will be our best ratings ever!"

Mokuba's phone started going off in his hands, and he looked down, saying a quick good bye as he ran off to answer a call. Joey watched him leave before looking over at his friends.

"So, what do you guys want to do? I switched with one of my co-workers for the night off, so I'm free to do whatever for the rest of the day."

"Well, I'm going back to the shop. I don't want to leave that young man in charge for to long, not sure he can handle all of that yet. Congrats you two."

Grandpa smiled at his grandson, before hugging Joey.

"You two boys make me so proud, I hope you both know that. I'm so lucky that my grandson has such wonderful friends."

Grandpa let go of Joey, smiling at the other boys before he left.

"I still have a few more autographs to sign, maybe we can met up for a late dinner? I should be done in about two hours. Why don't you guys figure out what to do and I'll met you?"

The rest of the boys nodded, and Yugi ran off back to his assigned area while the rest of the boys started

to discuss their plans.

Joey waved at his friends as they all cleared out. He needed to go back to the office to sign some paperwork. The networks wanted to re-air the duel, it had already doubled the ratings of the tournament, and was close to being one of the top duel broadcasts ever.

Kaiba Corp had worked out a deal that participants in each duel would get a small percentage of any broadcast fees, in lieu of corporate sponsorship's. This helped create interesting duels, which brought bigger ratings and more visibility to individual duelists.

Joey quickly signed his paperwork, shaking hands with Mokuba before inviting him to join them for dinner. The younger boy agreed, waving at Joey as the blond walked away. Joey pulled his faithful green jacket out of the closet, made sure his cards were secure in the pocket and left, whistling.

He got about 30 feet before he was slammed violently into the wall, staring into the ice-blue eyes of the one person he did not want to see.

"You've been avoiding my calls Wheeler."

Kaiba said, looking over the blond carefully.

"Well, sorry. I don't have the energy to deal with you right now Kaiba. You're an idiot if you think one dinner is going to change the years of emotional abuse you put me through."

Joey snapped, pushing away Kaiba in irritation.

"Joey I-"

"I don't want to hear about it Kaiba. I don't need your sob stories about how you were in love with me since High School and all the fighting we did back then was your weird way to get close to me. Just leave me alone. Please."

Joey turned and tried to walk away, only to be stopped by a magazine thrown at his feet. He looked down, only to see it was the local scene paper, the one that had featured an article about the restaurant he was working in. Joey slowly picked it up, looking over at Kaiba in confusion.

"You're doing quite well for yourself Wheeler. I've been impressed with how much you've grown up the last few years. Now that you've chopped that awful hair of yours, found some better hair dye and started dressing like a human being in stead of some street punk, it's made me... re-evaluate how I've treated you over the years."

Joey thumbed the pages of the magazine, avoid the harsh stare of the man in front of him.

"So what? A few nice words and I'm suppose to believe that you've changed? I've forgiven and forgotten all of the crap that has happen over the years, but I'm not really keen on seeing a 'new Seto Kaiba.'"

"Who says I'm a new Seto Kaiba? I'm still the same person I was back when we were teenagers. The only difference is that I can control my emotions better. I'm sure we will still be fighting, but it won't be like it was before."

Joey stared at Kaiba before shaking his head.

"I don't care what you think you can do, it's still going to be the same crap from before. I don't have time to deal with you and the fighting anymore. It's been a very peaceful few years without you and I intend to keep it that way thank you very much."

Kaiba brushed up against Joey, staring back down at him. "

If you're not interested, I'm not going to force you. However, maybe you should think about the fact that after we had our date, you responded by showing up at my tournament, dueling the one man who's always had my attention."

With that Kaiba backed off, brushing his hand down Joey's cheek before walking away.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Wow, I feel like its been so long since I've written but it's only been a month. Please forgive me if my updates get sporadic for awhile- I work a second job in the summer so I only get a chance to write when the weather is crummy. Anyway, thanks to SweetNairyFairy for reviewing me again I appreciate it! Also Allie122 and magicjewel for favoriting and Allie122 for adding me to alerts! This chapter has a little hanky panky in it, as well as lots of kids... I'm really enjoying writing Ryou and Tea as a couple for some reason

Kaiba marched quickly down the aisle, his white coat billowing out behind him. His 6'3'' frame moved quickly, arms moving and legs never slowing down as he took turns at lighting speed. His security team could barely keep up with the exception of Roland, who had learned how to anticipate his bosses routes through the various buildings that Kaiba Corp owned.

When he first took the job, people asked why anyone would work for a young man like Kaiba, and Roland would just smiled and shrugged. He knew that people would never understand his commitment to the young man who had taken over a company while still in High School, still green in many of the ways of the world.

Now, at 24, the brunet had fully grown into his job as CEO of Kaiba Corp. Where there was once doubt in his abilities (Not by Kaiba of course but by people who attempted to take over his company) now there was nothing but admiration and fear. Roland never regretted working for him, and his loyality was rewarded by the still young CEO.

Kaiba made two more turns, and he was back in his office, slamming the door behind him. A quick check of his phone showed that Mokuba had texted him, informing that the younger boy was going out to dinner with the mutt and his crew. Kaiba texted back an acknowledgment before throwing his phone back on the table.

"Sir?"

Roland questioned, appearing in the door frame, staring at his angered boss.

"It's fine Roland, I just have a lot of work to do. See that you can get me the ratings for Yugi and Wheelers duel as soon as possible, we need to cash in on it as soon as possible."

Roland nodded at his boss before jogging off, glad that he wouldn't have to guard the younger man when he was in one of his moods. Kaiba watched him go, frowning at the closed door before turning back to his computer.

Pulling out his chair, Kaiba settled down to work, pulling up a file to start checking code. He barely made it half an hour before he stopped, annoyed that he was forced to re-read things twenty times before they made sense to him. He leaned back, folding his arms behind his back and taking a rare moment to himself.

Closing his eyes, he took a minute to refocus his brain before taking a few deep breaths, ridding himself of all thoughts that were not directly related to work. He slowly opened his eyes, staring at the screen for a minute before continuing his typing. Muscle memory took over, and he slipped into a trance, not noticing how quickly time was passing until the knock at the door.

"Come in."

He snapped, annoyed once again. He turned around as Yugi answered, closing the door behind him.

"I take it this means that you are done signing for the day then Yugi?"

He questioned the younger man, who nodded. Yugi then settle into a chair, staring at Kaiba intently. Kaiba choose to ignore the other man, not wanting to get into a fight at the moment. Ever since the whole Joey issue Yugi and Mokuba had been watching him closely, waiting for him to have some sort of meltdown.

If there was one thing that Kaiba was good at, it was waiting for his opponet to make the first move. After a few minutes, that is exactly was Yugi did, sighing as he leaned forward in his chair.

"Come to dinner with us. It's going to be completely casual, just a few pizzas and drinks. Everyone is going, don't sit alone all night."

Kaiba cocked his head, debating with himself over the suggestion.

"I don't think your friends will want me there Yugi. I've never been their favorite person after all, and I'm sure that Wheeler doesn't want to see me right now."

Kaiba reminded him, turning back to the computer to start reading his next report.

"Since when do you care about what my friends think about you? Maybe this will give you a chance to relax a little. All this stress your under is starting to show."

Yugi stood up, reaching out to gently touch the wrinkles on Kaiba's forehead, running his fingers down Kaiba's face to touch the faint gray hairs that had grown in since his last dye job.

"It's only been 6 years since graduation, and you look like it's been twenty. You locked yourself up in here for years trying to bring back Yami, and that backfired. Please, don't work yourself into an early grave. Mokuba would be devastated if something happened to you, and you know that. Come out with us, make your brother feel better."

Yugi stared down at Kaiba, waiting for his answer. Kaiba sighed, turning in his chair to avoid Yugi's gaze, so much like the Pharaoh's now that he was older that it hurt. He nodded, typing something into his computer before shutting it off and staring at his old rival.

"Fine, but don't expect me to pay for everyone."

"Don't worry, Mokuba's already offered up his credit card, apparently he just raised his limit and he gets bonus points at resturants."

Yugi informed Kaiba, smiling brightly before bouncing out of the the room with the annoyed CEO close behind him, on the phone and already threatening to shut off his little brother's credit card.

Joey sat in Yugi's bedroom, feet propped up and watching tv. The past few days had been rough, with Joey receiving some information recently that was causing him some inner turmoil. He wasn't going to ruin his day off worrying Yugi though, instead he was going to sit and enjoy his program. It was probably the hundredth time he had watched this duel between the two of them in two weeks, and still he could not believe how close he had gotten to actually winning.

Yugi was next to him, sitting on his stomach and swinging his legs in the air. The two boys had talked over strategy, discussing how the duel could have played out differently until there was nothing left to say about it.

Now they just watched, enjoying the reactions of the crowds to each turn of the duel. Joey's favorite part was when they showed the VIP box, where Kaiba sat watching them duel, arms crossed and frowning, watching as Joey had Yugi on the ropes.

Only someone who knew Kaiba as well as Joey would be able to tell the difference between his regular annoyed facial expression, and his 'Yugi's title belongs to me' expression that he tried to hide now that they were older.

Yugi had commented on it too, giggling like he was still a teen over his boss's annoyance at their duel. Joey had laughed, secretly enjoying the fact that he still could get under the brunet's skin. Now, Kaiba's face flashed again, eyes blinking rapidly several times when Joey had summoned his Red Eyes once again, ready to make the final blow to wipe out Yugi's life points with a direct attack. Then Yugi activated his Mirror force, and Joey lost, causing Kaiba's lip to twitch just once in what seemed like relief.

The camera panned out, showing the crowd cheering for both Joey and Yugi as the two boys were lowered back down the the ground. Yugi shifted on the bed, sitting back up and looking over at the blond.

"How about we go do something? I'm getting tired of watching this over and over again."

Joey nodded, smiling at his friend. Yugi tilted his head, contemplating what to do.

"Grandpa needs some help getting ready for inventory... it's a lot of lifting and cleaning and he can't do it alone."

He suggested, and Joey nodded. Nothing reminded him of high school more than hanging out in the the Game Shop, doing some work for the chance to get a free booster pack.

"That sounds like a plan Yug'. I'll met you down there in a sec, just gotta make a pit stop first."

Yugi nodded, smiling at Yugi as he entered the bathroom. Once the door was closed, he leaned against it, staring off into the distance a minute before taking out his wallet and pulling out Kaiba's well worn confession note, reading it over yet again before tucking it safely behind his driver's license. Hours later, Joey was covered in sweat, leaning against the wall trying to catch his breath. Yugi's grandpa had worked the two of them all day, barely allowing them to stop for a lunch. They had cleaned the entire shop, climbing on ladders to reach the spots that the shorter older man could not reach.

Finally they were done, and Yugi's Grandpa had thanked both the boys profusely, before offering Joey a choice of packs.

Joey winked at the older man, picking out one before leaving the shop with Yugi. Tristan had texted them earlier, inviting them over for dinner with him and Duke. Yugi had taken a quick shower and changed while Joey had finished up, and now they were running over to Joey's apartment so the blond can do the same.

Once Joey was ready, they left, jumping into Yugi's car and running over to pick up Tea from her dance lesson. The young woman smiled at the boys, tossing her bag into the backseat before jumping in herself.

"Thanks for picking me up guys. Ryou was barely able to make it out of work to grab the kids before dinner, we would have been way late if he had to come get me."

Yugi smiled at Tea in the rear-view mirror before pulling away from the curb.

"No problem Tea, when are you guys going to get the car fixed anyway?"

"We're not. It's not worth fixing, so we decided to just buy a new one. Problem is, there's so many to choose from, and so many options to choose from too."

Tea sighed, looking out the window.

"How many options can there be Tea? You guys have 5 kids that leaves out everything but a mini-van right?"

Joey teased, snickering at his friend. Tea placed a hand on her belly, shaking her head slightly.

"It'll be 6 before you know it, and this one is going to be the death of me I swear. I'm worn out more than when I carried the triplets."

Joey reached back and squeezed Tea's hand, smiling at her. Ryou and Tea had secretly gotten married right after they got back from Egypt, not wanting to tell their friends since the school forbade students even dating. Within two months Tea had gotten pregnant, luckily not showing at their graduation.

She had told her friends the week after, when they had a giant graduation party for all their family. To say everyone was shocked was an understatement, and it had placed a huge strain on the group's friendship until Serenity had butted in and threaten her big brother for hurting Tea when she was so vulnerable.

Joey had submitted to her annoyance, and convinced the rest of the gang to forgive and forget. Tea's first pregnancy had produced a boy, Ahmet. He was barely a year old when Tea announced her second pregnancy, another boy, Vaughn . The triplets, Tobiah, Jotham and Knute had come 10 months later, with their friends joking that Tea must had gotten pregnant in the hospital.

Everyone thought the two of them were done after that, until Tea announced that she was once again pregnant to everyone's collective surprise. Joey had jokingly offered to adopt one of the kids, which was quickly denied by the once again expecting mother. Now Tea was settled back against the seat, exhausted after a long day at work. Joey winked at her before settling back into his own seat, watching as all of the scenery flew by.

Finally they made it to Tristan and Duke's, pulling up behind Ryou's SUV. Joey noticed his sister's car parked next to it, backseat covered in toys from Joey's niece Amabel. The three-year old was the light of Joey's life, much like her mother had been. Serenity was a single mother, the father of her daughter out of the picture before she was even born.

That only many the little one more precious to her doting uncle, who wanted to be the best role model possible. The thought of seeing his baby girl made Joey smile as he helped Tea out of the car, allowing the pregnant mother to lean on him for a second. Yugi grabbed her bag, slamming the door and leading the group inside the house. Screeching greeting their ears, and Tea smiled, hearing the sounds of her oldest.

"I guess Ahmet is playing with Amabel huh?"

She stated to Joey, who smiled. Even though Amabel was 2 years younger, she had Ahmet wrapped around her finger. The older boy did anything she asked, for just a smile in return. It was cute now, but it would certainly be trouble when they got older.

Serenity waved at her brother, running over to wrap him in a hug. Joey kissed his sister on the cheek before marching off to find his niece, throwing the young girl up in the air while she giggled.

"Unca Joey, Ahmet is being mean! He won't let me cut his hair! It's just pretending."

The young girl pouted, and Joey hugged her.

"Oh my love, your Aunt Tea will be furious if he agreed. He just has the good sense to listen to his momma."

His niece continued to pout and Joey placed her on the floor, patting the girl on the head before sending her off to play again. Ryou greeted the group, holding Vaughn in his lap.

"Where are the other three? Did you forget to pick them up from daycare Ryou?"

The white haired boy laughed, shaking his head.

"Duke is entertaining them downstairs while Tristan cooks dinner. Vaughn had a rough day at school so I wanted to spend some time with him."

Ryou smiled, running his hand through Vaughn's hair, almost identical in color and length as his father's. Tea sank down next to her husband, kissing him on the cheek as she smiled at her son.

Yugi waved at the young boy before sitting down carefully on Ryou's other side. Vaughn was painfully shy, another trait he had inherited from his father. Yugi's heart went out to the young boy, knowing how hard it was for him when he was shy with no friends. Hopefully that would change for the child, having just turned four there was still plenty of time to reinvent himself.

Until then, Vaughn was Yugi's secret favorite of all the kids, nurturing the small child helped fill the void there was in himself. Vaughn smiled shyly his uncle before burying himself back into his father's chest. Joey smiled at the group on the couch before excusing himself to go help Tristan in the kitchen.

An hour later, the meal was all laid out. Joey had grilled the steaks while Tristan finished up the side dishes, and the result was enough food to feed twice the number of people that were there.

It didn't help that they had to cook for a multitude of picky eaters, so several of the dishes were prepared to one of the children's specifications. Yugi, Joey, Tristan and Duke helped Ryou get his kids settled, letting Tea take a break. Serenity dished up a plate for her daughter, then served Tea and herself.

Finally, they all dug in, years of friendship allowing for an easy back and forth between the group. After dinner came dessert, a fancy chocolate drizzle cake that had come from one of the bakeries in town. Joey took a few bites and sighed, closing his eyes in bliss.

"Man, I wish I could bake like this. I love a good cake."

The rest of the group agreed, and Tristan offered them all coffee while the kids ran off to play. Ryou gently nudged Vaughn to join them, and the young boy did, looking back at his father once more before allowing his brother's to drag him off.

The gang started to break up into groups, talking about what had been going on in their individual lives. Serenity caught her brother's eye, motioning him to follow her on to the back deck. The siblings took a moment to enjoy the view and each other's company, and Serenity smiled, looking over at her big brother.

"I apologize in advance for the mess Amabel made today... she got a little excited when she found out we were all having dinner together."

Joey sighed, shaking his head at his little sister. Serenity and Amabel were staying with him for the time being, and it was an adventure everyday with his rambucous niece in his one-bedroom apartment.

Serenity had taken a job several hours away, hoping that she would eventually be able to move closer to home once she gained some job experience.

That hadn't panned out, and Serentiy had moved back to Domino, moving in temporarily with Tea and Ryou to help them out while she looked for a job. However, once Tea started to show, Joey had offered his place, knowing that Tea didn't need another kid running around when she was exhausted. Serenity still helped out a few days a week, but it was nice to escape the constant noise.

Joey took his sister's hand, wrapping her up in a hug. They stayed like that for a minute, enjoying each other's company. Serenity finally pulled away, looking at her brother warily.

"Joey, I have something to tell you. I'm pregnant."

Joey blinked at her, letting the news sink in.

"O Ren, what happened? Was it somebody at work? Did you know before you came back? What can I do to help you?"

Joey asked rapidly, placing his hands on Serenity's shoulders. She stepped back, not knowing how he was going to react.

"No, it's nothing like that... you see, I knew I was losing my job a few months ago, and I didn't know how to tell you. I was talking to Tristan about looking for a job when he made me an offer."

Serenity paused, taking a deep breath while she tried to figure out how to finish her story. Joey waited, cocking his head in confusion. Serenity's hand drifted to her stomach, and Joey suddenly understood.

Without even thinking, he snapped.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You just going to pop out babies for the whole freaking country. Come on Serenity, you know better than that."

Serenity blinked at her brother not knowing what to say.

"Joey, calm down please. It's not like that at all. I'm not keeping this baby, I'm just carrying it for them. I wanted to do it, I wanted to help out our friends."

"So who's the father? I'm assuming it's either Tristan or Duke, since they wanted the baby."

"I'm not sure yet, they both wanted to donate their dna."

Serenity answered him, trying to hold back her tears.

"So what, you let them shove a turkey baster into you and play Russian Roulette with who's going to win?"

Joey asked her, unconsciously clenching his fists. Serenity didn't answer for a minute, unsure of what to say. She hadn't thought Joey would be so angry, or speak to her like this. While she was hesitating, Joey drew his own conclusions. Before she could stop him, Joey burst back into the house, stopping right in front of Tristan.

"How dare you. You know the problems Serenity had with Amabel, she almost died giving birth to her! My sister is not a womb for rent you bastard!"

He screamed at Tristan, not caring that the rest of their friends as well as some of the kids were standing in the same room.

The brunet opened his mouth to answer his friend, but before he could say anything, Joey cold-cocked him then stalked out the door, running down the street while the rest of the grouph hovered over their unconscious host.

2 hours later, Joey was still wandering around Domino, to wound up to go home. It was almost 10 o'clock, and the lights were steadily turning off all around town. Joey looked around, realizing how far he had walked away from his apartment.

His phone was almost dead, the constant calling from his friends quickly draining his battery. There was just enough to send his sister a message that he was fine and was crashing at a friend's house. He couldn't go home, Serenity would be there waiting for him. He needed someplace to crash, and to charge his battery.

Not even caring at this point, he headed to the tallest building in the city- Kaiba Corp.

Kaiba sat back in his chair, rubbing his eyes tiredly. His phone had been beeping for the past half an hour, Mokuba calling him to demand that he come home that moment. Kaiba had been able to ignore

him for a bit, but once his office phone started ringing, he knew it was time to call it a night. The last time he had picked it up, promising his brother he'd be home before midnight.

If he left now, he'd only miss that deadline by about 15 minutes. Kaiba grabbed his coat, shut down his computer and left the building. Nodding good bye to the night security, he walked out into the cool air, allowing it to awaken his senses for the ride home.

Approaching his care, he stopped short as he realized what he was seeing-a lanky blond haired man leaning up against the car, staring off at the ocean as he waited for someone.

"Wheeler?"

Kaiba asked, approaching the blond cautiously. Joey looked up at him, blinking back a few tears that had formed during his waiting time.

"Jeez Kaiba, what time is it? I've been out here for hours."

"It's quarter to twelve... what are you doing here?"

The CEO asked, looking around for a car or something that explained how the mutt made it out here. Joey laughed, waving a piece of paper in Kaiba's face. He quickly identified it as the note he had written Joey asking him out. He crossed his arms, wondering what Joey was up too but not wanting to let him get the upper hand.

"I'll ask you again, what are you doing here mutt."

Joey stood up straight, marching over to his rival, grabbing his tie and pulling the brunet to him in a hard kiss. Kaiba's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, and his mind pulled out a hundred scenarios about what was happening.

Then the kiss was over, and Joey was standing in front of him, watching his reactions warily. For once,

Kaiba didn't know what to do and he stood there completely flabbergasted at what had just happened. Joey pulled him close again, smiling to himself as the brunet kissed him back. He let Kaiba go, winking at the taller boy.

"I need a place to crash tonight Kaiba. I thought maybe I'd give you a chance to convince me to date you."

Joey ran his hand down the CEO's chest, allowing it to rest on his hip.

"Ever since we had that dinner party after the tournament, I've been thinking about you. All those fights we used to have, that smug look on your face every time you beat me in a duel. I had nightmares involving you for years. I finally got you out of my head, finally got over what we went through in high school, then you turn up with this note and want to throw me off my game again. That's not going to happen."

Joey's finger's floated down to Kaiba's crotch, watching the blue eyes close as he inhaled sharply. Joey gently stroked him, watching Kaiba squirm under his touch. After a moment, the blond stopped, honey eyes watching blue as they slowly opened and refocused. Joey allowed Kaiba a moment to gather himself, then gestured to the car.

"Take me home with you. Let's get naked and see where things go from there."

With that Joey walked around the car to the passenger side door, raising an eyebrow in a silent challenge to the brunet who stood frozen in his spot, blinking.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: The good thing about allergies is not wanting to do much else leaves plenty of time to type. While I was doing that, I tweaked a little bit from the last chapter to add some information... nothing major, just a few sentences to hint at Joey's motives. Thanks to Mike Tyson for reviewing the last chapter spiritleopard and PurpleNightFury for favoriting and following, and chunk-ie for following bas well as my guests! Enjoy!

 _If there was one thing Joey had learned, it was how to use people. Growing up as the second-in-command of the biggest gang in the city, he had people for everything. Part of a gang's intimidation was controlling every aspect of a person's life, from the time they got up to the time they went to bed. Sabotage a person's well-being, and they will do pretty much anything for you._

 _Even when he met Yugi, and managed to get himself away from the streets, he still remembered the lessons that he had learned while in the gang. His friendship with his group started because he saw the importance of having them as his friends, the things they could do for him, the connections they gave him._

 _Tristan's dad, the cop, Tea's mom, the lawyer, Ryou, who had a house that Joey could hide in, and Yugi, who's Yami would protect anyone Yugi called a friend._

 _When he was in college, he didn't have enough money to pay for food a lot of the time, so he started to run errands for people._

 _Out of college, he used his connections to help land his first job. Once that was secure he was able to relax, enjoying life after the hardships he had been through._

 _Several months past before his sister came to him, crying because her worthless boyfriend had convinced her to have a child then left her. Once again he used his connections, this time making sure that man would never be found again._

 _All that had cost him was a couple of nights, a small price to pay to make sure his sister was ok._

 _Now, another opportunity had arisen for him. The rich, powerful CEO of Kaiba Corp had expressed an interest in him, and Joey knew that he had his trump card, to be played as needed._

Mokuba groaned as his phone started ringing, reaching out to grab it but only managing to push it off the bedside table. He felt around, not wanting to open his eyes but wanting the noise to stop. Pushing the talk button, he managed to answer the call, hoping that it wasn't going to be to urgent.

"Oh hey Yugi what's up... no I haven't heard from Joey... I'm not sure if big brother is gone yet let me check."

Mokuba yawned, stretching as he glanced at the clock on the wall. 9:30 on a Friday? It was a good thing Mokuba was a 'mature adult' now, or he would be getting a huge lecture from his brother. He padded down the hall to his brother's room and knocked, waiting to hear his brother's answer.

When there was none, he opened the door cautiously, peering around the room and seeing it was empty. Shrugging, he closed the door and wandered down the hallway while talking to Yugi on the phone, listening as the other boy prattled on.

"He's not in his room, so unless he's drinking his coffee in the kitchen he must be gone. Yes, if I hear from him I'll ask him if he's heard anything... let me have some breakfast and I'll see if I can track his phone for you guys... of course, you guys know you're my friends and I'll help in any way that I can. Bye Yugi."

Mokuba hung up the phone, waking up enough to bounce down the hall towards the kitchen. He slowed as he approached, hearing voices talking in the dining room. He changed courses, entering the dining room before walking over to hug his older brother.

"Hey little bro."

He teased, enjoying the fact that Seto was now several inches smaller than him. The brunet arched an eyebrow at his younger brother, still typing away on the laptop.

"Who were you talking too big brother? Is Roland going to make some breakfast or is it a free for all this morning."

"Roland is prowling the perimeter as is his job. It is not his responsibility to keep you fed."

Kaiba told him sternly, smiling slightly at his brother. Mokuba pretended to pout, hoping his brother would be convinced to make him something. Kaiba silently pointed towards the door leading towards the kitchen, and Mokuba sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win this battle.

"Do you want a refill Seto?"

Mokuba asked, reaching out for his brothers cup when the brunet nodded. Mokuba turned and walked over to the door, stopping when he opened it and saw a familiar mop of blond hair.

"Joey?"

The duelist waved at the raven-haired boy, turning his attention away from the stove for a minute. Mokuba looked back at the door before looking back at the blond, still confused about what was going on.

"Did you get lost going home last night? Yugi called and said that you were missing and wanted to know if I could find you."

Joey shrugged, poking at the eggs he was cooking.

"My phone died... I ran into your brother and he offered me a place to stay for the night and a cord to change the phone with. Guess my winning personality helped me out again."

Mokuba stayed silent, not sure what was going on. He glanced back at the door before looking over at Joey again, shrugging.

"Are you cooking breakfast for all of us Joey? Or are you just feeding big brother to thank him for letting you stay over last night?"

Joey laughed, waving a spatula at his friend.

"Don't worry Mokuba, you're brother told me about your waffle fetish, I'm making those next."

Mokuba grinned before thanking Joey, leaving the kitchen to go take a quick shower and change. Seto hated when Mokuba ate breakfast in pj's. It was one of the bad traits he had picked up from their adopted father, but Mokuba knew it was fruitless to argue with him.

He walked down the hallway, pausing by the guest bedroom. His curiosity was getting the better of him, and he peeked, in, noting that the room clearly had not had anyone sleeping in it. He then creeped into his brother's room, looking over at the bedside table which had an old-fashioned flip phone laying on top of it.

Mokuba nodded to himself before leaving the room, closing the door and smiling to himself as he walked off to take his shower.

Once he was done, he re-entered the dining room, sitting down on his brother's right side. Seto smiled at his younger brother's appearance, proud that he had cleaned himself up so quickly. Mokuba waited patiently as Joey appeared, placing a big plate in the middle of the table before offering a smaller one to Mokuba and Kaiba. Mokuba grinned at the stack of waffles that were in the middle, drooling at the smell.

"Good morning Kaiba."

The blond said, nodding at the brunet who snorted a reply back. Mokuba watched both of the boys silently, wondering what had happened between the two. His phone pinged and he looked down, seeing a message from Tea.

"Oh, I forgot to tell Yugi that you were here. Tea just texted me to see if I knew anything yet."

Joey shrugged, looking down at his plate. The Kaiba brothers watched him for a minute before exchanging a look. Mokuba went to open his mouth, when a look from his brother silenced him. Instead, he quickly texted Tea, assuring her that Joey was at the Kaiba Mansion and he was fine.

bHe then pushed his phone away and stared at his brother and his friend, wondering what they had been up to.

" _You ok Wheeler?"_

 _Kaiba asked, guiding the car down the street while he took several glances at the man next to him. Joey nodded absently, allowing his hand to slide across the CEO's pants to rest in his lap, never taking his eyes off the window, even when Kaiba swerved into the other lane in shock when Joey's hand began to stroke him._

 _Once they made it to the mansion, Kaiba turned the car off, and they sat in silence for a minute. Finally Joey spoke, gently stroking the inside of the brunet's thigh._

" _They told me at work yesterday that the restaurant was going under... to much cost and not enough profit in the business. I'm going to lose my job in a month, and I don't know if I can get another one... I'm the least experienced one in that place, and there aren't many places willing to pay a good wage for someone who's never been a head anything. I spent all day today working with Yug's Grandpa, and trying to smile while I came up with some solution, then I realized I had one."_

 _Joey turned to Kaiba, pausing while he waited for the CEO to focus. Kaiba opened his eyes, starting at the blond as the words slowly sunk in. Joey reached for his wallet, slowly removing a piece of paper from it._

" _This is the note you gave me that night we had our 'business meeting.' The one where you wrote out your confession for your feelings for me after I turned down the chance to become one of your employees. Do you still have the actual job offer letter?"_

" _I have a copy of it on my personal computer. I shredded the hard copy a while ago."_

 _Kaiba informed him, crossing his arms and staring at the blond._

" _Well, let's go get a hard copy, I want to read it over before I sign."_

 _Kaiba sighed to himself, realization dawning on him that this night was not going to go as he planned._

Joey waited until Mokuba had safely left the room before turning his attention to the brunet across from him. Kaiba was furiously typing on his laptop in a vain attempt to not look at the blond right across from him.

Joey sighed, wondering how to get the other man's attention. He decided to go for broke. He got up, walked around the table, yanked Kaiba's chair back, and straddled him, shoving his tongue down the CEO's throat before he could protest. Kaiba's eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of the blond's lips pressed up against his.

Joey's hands slid down Kaiba's chest, pushing his tie aside to start unbuttoning his shirt. The brunet forced himself to open his eyes, looking at the blond whose hands were dangerously close to his belt buckle.

"Joey-" he said thickly, clearing his throat so his voice would come out normally "- I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I really have to go to work."

Joey didn't listen, instead tracing the black KC buckle with both hands before sliding them down to squeeze Kaiba's ass. When the CEO jumped, Joey kissed him, enjoying tormenting his former tormentor.

"Have a great day at work. Remember, try not to walk funny, it'll make people look at you."

Joey gave Kaiba one last pat before sliding off his lap and walking out of the dining room, leaving Kaiba staring as his left.

 _Joey read over the contract that had been placed in front of him, chewing on his bottom lip while he thought._

" _Is this the same contract Yugi signed when he started working for you?"_

 _Joey asked, looking up at the brunet. Kaiba shook his head, mentally sighing at the time._

" _Your perks are not as good as his were. Yugi brings a lot more prestige with his presence, and his pay reflects that. However, there are several reviews that will happen during your first few months, and if there is enough reasons, you will have a pay increase. Everything else, you'll earn the same way Yugi does. You get vacation pay based on how many hours you work a week, and the best health plan we can get."_

 _Joey nodded, re-reading another section. Satisfied, he tucked the contract into his jacket, smiling at Kaiba._

" _I can't start until I give notice... they've done a lot for me and I don't want to leave them in the lurch. Plus, I'm still under contract because they helped pay for some of my schooling."_

 _Kaiba nodded, accepting Joey's statement._

" _Yugi will be training you so perhaps you can work out a schedule with him. Perhaps you two could have another duel and we will announce your partnership then... stir up some interest in our new projects."_

 _Kaiba mused, leaning back to ponder his suggestions. Joey yawned, looking over at the clock._

" _It's after one, I'm exhausted and I still have to deal with my sister tomorrow morning."_

 _Joey yawned again before grabbing Kaiba by the tie and kissing him, burying his free hand in the brunet's hair. Kaiba just stood there, not sure how to deal with the bi-polar acting blond. Joey smiled at him, taking the other man's hand._

" _Now that we've done the business part, let's do the fun part."_

 _Kaiba pulled away slightly, not wanted to get trapped._

" _I don't pay for sex Wheeler."_

 _He hissed, backing away even more. Joey shook his head, smiling slightly._

" _I'm not asking for anything moneybags. You offered me the job because you thought I'd be the best fit for it correct? Because of my relationship with Yugi, not mine with you. You're attracted to me for some reason, and just as long as you don't start with the names you're not half bad. I just figured it's better to do it now than to get caught screwing each other in your office later on."_

 _Joey crossed his arms, eyebrow arched as he waited for Kaiba to answer. Kaiba fought with himself for a moment before pulling out another piece of paper and handing it to Joey._

" _A non-disclosure agreement? You're worried I'm going to go to the press with this?"_

 _Joey asked, looking the paper over in amusement._

" _I'm the CEO of a huge corporation, I have to be worried about it. The only exception to this is Yugi, and that's only because he might have to cover for us once in a while. Got it?"_

 _Joey nodded, looking down at the paper in thought. He held out his hand for a pen, which Kaiba provided. Joey quickly signed, placing the paper in Kaiba's outstretched hand._

" _Happy now?"_

 _Kaiba nodded, carefully signing and filing it in his briefcase._

" _Good, cause after all this crap, you are definitely going to be the bottom."_

 _Joey said, crossing his arms as he waited for Kaiba to show him to the bathroom_


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to bibiana27 for following this little story of mine... please enjoy

Joey opened his eyes slowly, rolling over to check the time on his phone. Today was his last day at the resturant, and all he was really doing was helping with a final inventory and cleaning before the auction over the weekend. He had originally planned on being out several weeks ago, but his boss had reminded him of his contract when several of his peers had stopped showing up.

Luckily, Kaiba had been flexible with Joey's start date, his reasoning that it would give him enough time to come up with an announcement for their next project.

Speaking of which... Joey looked over his shoulder to see the brunet was gone. The sound of water running confirmed where the older man was and Joey settled back down in bed, crossing his arms behind his head and enjoying the luxiourious feel of expensive sheets. This would be one of his last times here, and he intended to enjoy it.

Starting Monday he would be an employee of Kaiba Corp, and that meant his whatever it was with Kaiba would be ending. That meant going back to his real life, an empty apartment that his sister had vacated shortly after their fight.

Once Joey had seen that all of her stuff was gone, he had called her, intending to smooth things over. That had changed when Tristan answered the phone, blustering and threatening the blond. The two friends had exchanged words, quick and threatening until Tristan had informed Joey that Serenity would be staying with him and Duke and would contact him when she was ready.

The phone clicked off in his ear, and Joey sat there a minute, not knowing what to do. Not wanting to stay by himself he had shown back up at the mansion, convincing Kaiba to let him occupy the other side of the bed for a few weeks.

The brunet had given in with little fight, which Joey was glad about. They quickly fell into a habit, unknown to anyone but Kaiba's little brother. Mokuba had left for college after the first 2 weeks, not commenting on the blond who had quickly taken over the mansion. Or the fact his brother would be home by the time Joey got out of work, his face twitching into an almost smile once Joey would plop down next to him on the couch.

The three would watch the news together, Joey often falling asleep curled around the taller man. Kaiba would sit there, gently rubbing the blond's back while talking to his brother. Then they would go to bed, Kaiba carrying his sleeping temporary lover.

Mokuba would watch them disappear into his brother's bedroom, questions still on the tip of his tongue but choosing not to ask them, lest he ruin whatever happiness his brother had found even if it was a little weird.

The night he left he had caught Joey in the hallway and quietly expressed his concerns which were quickly brushed off by the blond. The two boys had parted in annoyance, both thinking the other was crossing the line. By an unspoken agreement they did not mention their talk to Kaiba, who was completely oblivious that their last dinner together was almost completely silent.

Mokuba had left after dinner, claiming he wanted to beat traffic back. Joey watched him before convincing Kaiba to go to bed early. The next week flew by, and before they knew it, it was time for their last weekend together.

For now though... Joey snuggled back under the sheets and closed his eyes. He might as well get a few more minutes in before Kaiba got out of the shower.

Soon enough, Joey felt the bed dipped and he peaked out to see Kaiba staring at him.

"Morning."

"Morning Kaib' aren't you going to be late for work?"

Joey asked, looking over at the desk clock. Kaiba nodded before standing, his long white coat covering him like a suit of armor.

"I just wanted to see what your plans are for this weekend. Will you be coming back here tonight or not?"

Joey cocked his head at the question, thinking for a minute.

"I was planning on staying here until Sunday afternoon. I have to do some grocery shopping before work on Monday, unless that's going to be a problem with you?"

"That will be fine. I'll see you later than, enjoy your last day of work."

Kaiba swiftly walked out of the room, coat billowing behind him as he left. Joey sighed and picked up his phone, checking his email and messages before getting up to great the day himself.

Hours later and Joey was ready to leave. The restaurant was almost cleaned out, and he was getting tired of lugging boxes of cooking oil and random spices all over the place. On the other hand, the kitchen looked spotless, the kind of clean one could only achieve by getting rid of everything. The boss had nodded his approval, shaking Joey's hand and wishing him the best of luck.

Ten more minutes and work would be done, and Joey would be officially unemployed for the first time since he was 12 and had joined a gang to survive. He plopped down on a barstool and stared into space, wondering what he was going to do for the rest of the day when a presence made itself known to him.

"Joey?"

"Serenity? What are you doing here?"

"I heard you guys were closing so I decided to come down and talk to you. You're never home

anymore where have you been?"

Joey didn't know how to answer that, instead choosing to look at his little sister closely. If he didn't know better, he would have never even known that she was pregnant. Without thinking his hand shot out and gently touched her belly, feeling for something to happen. Serenity giggled, shaking her head at her brother.

"It's going to be a few more weeks before the kicking starts Joey. I do have something for you though. I hope it helps."

Serenity reached into her purse and handed Joey an ultrasound picture. Joey stared at it in amazement, feeling the same outpouring of affection that he had had with his niece. That was until he saw the writing up top.

"Ren? How come there is three names listed up at the top?"

He pointed at the wording, which clearly had Serenity, Tristan and Duke's names listed. Serenity sighed before hugging her brother and whispering in his ear.

"I love you big brother. I love that you're always there for me and you are amazing person but this is my life. I have chosen to carry this baby for our friends and nothing you say is going to change it. Learn to deal."

She pulled back after that, still smiling. Joey stroke her sisters face, kissing her on the cheek.

"You win Ren. I'm just an idiot who needs to understand that you've grown up and can handle yourself just fine. I don't even know why you are talking to me honestly."

"Tristan's been an insufferable jerk since you two got into a fight, if you don't apologize and make things right with him I might just beat him senseless."

Serenity admitted sheepishly.

"Plus, I heard that you're starting at Kaiba Corp on Monday, I wouldn't want to miss those fireworks. Maybe we should take bets on how long it'll be before you and Kaiba knock each other out."

Joey laughed, standing up and stretching.

"I'll be done in a few, how about you waddle down the street and meet me at Burger World? Maybe bring my niece so I can stuff her full of french fries?" Serenity shook her head at Joey, sighing. "First of all, she's at daycare right now. Second, I told you she can't eat that stuff. Third, I Don't WADDLE!" "Give it time sis, give it time."

Joey waved at her before hurrying of to finish his last task before the place closed for good.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lunch had been slightly tense, once the siblings had caught up on the last few weeks there was little to talk about. Joey of course didn't mention a word about where he had been staying, which only helped to aggrevate the situation.

Once the two parted, Joey had jumped in his car for a ride, ending up at the shop that Tristan worked at. He had stayed outside for a bit before summoning up his courage and going in. The yelling had lasted for a good 15 minutes, Tristan obviously had been warned by Serenity that Joey might be showing up. Luckily, there were no customers in the shop, although Tristan had to stop his ranting several times to pick up the phone and answer inquiries.

By the third interruption, he had stopped yelling, unsure of what else to say. Joey took that opportunity to express his feelings, which started Tristan yelling again. The two boys ended up on the floor, throwing punches and yelling in each others faces.

Then it stopped, Tristan looking down at Joey who was glaring at him covered in grease and dirt on the floor. He quickly got up, pulling up the blond and allowing him a second to recup. Tristan's split lip stung, but not as badly as Joey's nose which was dripping blood on the floor.

The sight made the brunet cringe, after all the fights the two had had none of them ended this bad. He handed Joey a stained but clean towel and offered the blond a place to sit. He then went back to work, typing up the last few orders before the shop closed for the night.

Joey watched him warily, not wanting to start yet another fight between them. Unable to stand the silence, Joey lowered his towel, paying no mind to the blood dripping on his shirt.

"Tris?"

The brunet froze, allowing Joey the chance to finish. All the years of friendship hung between them, and Joey broke first, wrapping his buddy in a fierce hug. Tristan responded, sighing gently in relief that they were going to be ok.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Joey appeared at the mansion at almost 7, whistling to himself. Kaiba had messaged him that he would be home by 8 with take out, which gave Joey plenty of time to clean himself up some more. He had spent the past two hours hashing out everything with Tristan, their friendship on the fragile road to recovery.

The only person left was Duke, and that would be taken care of on Sunday during the dinner that Tristan had invited him too. Speaking of which... there was a strong smell coming from the dining room. He pushed open the door, wincing as he saw Kaiba sitting at the table, arms folded as he waited, one eyebrow raised as he took in Joey's appearance.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks to Jettwesme for favoriting my story... thank you all for reading!

Joey tried to grin at the man in front of him, but it was difficult. The look in those sapphire colored eyes reminded him so much of the young CEO that he had fought beside what seemed like a life time ago... who arrogantly stated that the only person worth his time was Yugi Moto, not Joey Wheeler. When he was called a mutt, a low life, a second rate, a nothing.

Joey's hands clenched, realizing that he was more than ready to finish one of those fights, to prove that he wasn't all those awful things that had been said about him over the years. To defend his honor, his name to the brunet who left him emotionally scarred, ruined, _worthless._

Then Kaiba was in front of him, gently touching the scratch on his cheek, running his hands down Joey's body to check for more injuries, the cold sapphire melting into baby blue as Kaiba realized that Joey was fine.

"What happened?"

"I got into a little spat with Tris and caught the wrong end of his fist is all. Don't worry, I've had worse just a few bumps and bruises is all. I'll be fine."

Kaiba made a noise in the back of his throat, tightening his grip for just a second before letting go of Joey altogether.

"So what's going on in here? Whatever it is it smells delicious."

Kaiba swept his arm out, indicating that Joey should sit at one of the chairs.

"I thought since your place was shutting down, you might like a dinner that you don't have to cook. I bought some Chinese, and I thought that we could watch a movie or two before bed."

Joey blinked at Kaiba a few times, wondering who the person in front of him was and where the hell Kaiba had gone too. His nose burned, and he knew without touching it that there was blood slowly dripping out of it. He thought fast, not wanted Kaiba to see and start an argument.

"That sounds like a plan, but can you get me some aspirin I've got a massive headache. Kaiba nodded, turning briskly on his heel while Joey sank into a chair, happy to be able to rest for a few seconds.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mokuba stared at the front door, not knowing what to do. His class had ended early, and usually he would take the opportunity to jump into his car and rush home to see his brother. This time, he had hesitated, not packing a bag early and filling up his tank the night before.

He had even turned up at the Game Shop, talking with Yugi and his Grandfather while they worked at the shop. The Moto's had even allowed him to help a few people out, Grandpa joking that he was glad Mokuba didn't need to be paid commission.

Finally, they had closed up, offering Mokuba dinner which he declined. Another hour of driving around, and he showed up at the mansion, noting that no one was home yet. He entered the house, bringing his bag up the stairs and dumping it into his room.

Wandering back downstairs, he debated texting his brother, but decided against it. Instead, he settled down on the couch and opened his laptop, wanting to finish his paper up early. The minutes flew by, and Mokuba was still typing when he was interrupted by someone clearing his throat.

"Big brother!"

Mokuba got off the couch and hugged Seto, who was smiling gently at him.

"I thought you were coming home tomorrow Mokuba. Did my secretary write down the wrong date again?"

Kaiba asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No Seto, my class was canceled today because the teacher was in an accident so I thought I'd come in a little bit earlier."

"Hm. You'd think with all the money we pay in tuition that place would be able to afford a sub."

Mokuba shot his brother a look, not wanting him to get in one of his moods.

"Where's Joey?"

He asked, hoping to change the topic.

"He will be back soon, I told him I wasn't going to be back until closer to 8 but I managed to get out earlier than expected."

Mokuba raised his own eyebrows at that, not remembering a time when his brother would come home early for anything that didn't involve Mokuba himself. His mind raced, and finally Mokuba realized that he needed the answer to his question from Kaiba.

"Seto? Can we talk?"

He asked, plopping back down on the couch and looking up at the brunet. Kaiba settled next to him, arranging his coat neatly behind him.

"What is it Mokuba?"

"I'm worried about you big brother. This thing you have with Joey isn't healthy for you. I mean, Yugi and I knew that you liked him by the him that you said, but it seems pretty clear that he dose not feel the same way about you."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed just a tad, and Mokuba pulled back a little, not wanting to get into a fight with Seto in the middle of the living room.

"I mean, first, you let him manipulate you into giving him that job. Then he sleeps with you and leaves, acting like its a one time deal. He shows up here again and pushes his way in, knowing that you have feelings for him and uses them for a bed and meal. Now he's leaving, swearing that this time he's not coming back this time and you're letting him go? You've missed meetings, you're leaving work early, you're acting like a complete push-over which is not my big brother at all-"

Kaiba's eyes narrowed, not willing to accept criticism from his brother, no matter how much he loved him.

"Why don't you just go cool off for a bit Mokuba, then you are welcome to join us for dinner, I'm ordering Chinese."

With that Kaiba walked off, a glimpse of sapphire in his eyes to let Mokuba know the subject was closed.

Joey finished changing in the bathroom, checking to make sure that there was no lingering traces of blood in his long blond hair. Kaiba had told him to freshen up before dinner, wanting to give the blond a chance to relax for a minute. Joey grinned at his reflection, giving himself a thumbs up.

Of course, he was going to have two black eyes tomorrow, his right one already turning a weird shade of green and the left puffy and swollen.

He sighed, gathering up his laundry and leaving the room, dumping the clothes down the chute before retracing his steps to the dining room.

He could feel the temperature drop as he walked towards the door, and knew that Mokuba was home. Sure enough as he entered the Kaiba brothers were both sitting at the table, plates full as they waited for their guest to come in.

"Sorry guys. You didn't have to wait for me."

He said sheepishly, settling at his own place at the left side of Seto and across from Mokuba. The VP didn't make eye contact, instead choosing to stare at his own plate. Joey piled on his own food, smiling briefly over at Kaiba and waiting for him to start eating.

Finally, Kaiba started eating, not making eye contact with either of the boys next to him. Once dinner was over, Kaiba picked up the plates, shooting a look at his brother as he walked into the kitchen. Joey sealed up the leftovers, stacking them so he could carry a bunch at once.

Mokuba followed with the rest, placing them on the counter and silently handing them to Joey so he could stack the fridge.

"You joining us for a movie Mokuba? I thought we could do a Jurassic Park marathon before the new one comes out!"

Joey asked, smiling as he tried to ease some of the tension in the room. Mokuba thought about it for a minute, nodding his head in agreement.

Joey winked at him, wrapping an arm around the younger boys shoulders and leading him out of the room, Kaiba watching them go apprehensively. Joey kept pushing Mokuba until they were in the game room, then he turned and locked the door.

"Today is my hashing out day with my friends apparently. I talked to Serenity and Tristan already, and now I'm talking to you. I don't want to fight about this anymore Mokuba. You're my friend, and I care about you. You know I'd do anything for you, and I care about you like you're my little brother.

However, what is going on with your brother and me is none of your concern. He's agreed to the way our relationship is, and I've never lied to him about how I feel about him or us. You need to accept that things are the way they are, and leave it be. Understand?"

Joey stared right at Mokuba, smiling a little at the younger man. Mokuba crossed his arms, not willing to give Joey an inch. He might not have his older brother's intimidation looks down, but his height and built were enough to scare those who didn't know him well enough. Joey, while almost 6 inches smaller, didn't back an inch.

"Mokuba, you have to understand, your brother- he doesn't really want me. I'm not sure what is going on in that brain of his, but this is just some sort of game. He'll be fine, and so will I once this is over, you'll see."

Joey reached up, managing to ruffle some of Mokuba's hair just like he used to do.

"Now how about we get this movie set up? I'm thinking we need a snack run too!"

Mokuba couldn't help but laugh at the blond's excitement, so unchanged from years past. The two settled down on the couch, starting the movie and taking turns making commentary on their favorite scenes. Kaiba came in a bit later, carrying drinks and snacks which he placed on the table before sliding on the couch next to Joey, leaning in to fully enjoy the smell of the blond one more time as the shorter boy curled into him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _Several month's ago_

 _Yugi smiled as he signed his contract with Kaiba, excited that he would be working so closely with the man who had been his rival for so long. Kaiba had offered him a job helping to come up with new ideas for the game to convince a whole new generation to start playing. What would be a better way than to have the King of Games himself market for Kaiba Corp?_

 _Yugi was thrilled, his friendship with the Kaiba brothers had helped him get over losing his soul mate, and now it was giving him a great opportunity. Kaiba was typing something on his computer, muttering to himself._

" _Now, the only thing we need to do is come up with a script when asked about your dueling history. You have 4 known loses. One to me, Pegasus, Rebecca, and Raphael. Pegasus is easy, it was a timed duel and you were still new to the game. Your loss to me can be chalked up to wanting to help me get back my brother, and Rebecca's is being nice to a younger player. Raphael's is kinda tricky, but he's already said he's willing to chalk it up too you saving him from that awful cult. Are we in agreement on this?"_

 _Yugi nodded, biting his lip as he thought back. Kaiba finished typing, looking up as he watched Yugi fidget._

" _Is there something I'm missing Yugi?"_

 _He asked coldly, watching the younger boy continue to squirm._

" _Well, I don't know if this is that important, but this list isn't 100 percent correct. There was a duel with Joey-"_

 _Kaiba held up a hand, rolling his eyes at the wasted time._

" _That duel on the pier was a tie with weird circumstances. Anyone knows you gave him the chance to win to 'save' him, just like the rest of your loses."_

 _Yugi shook his head, smiling at his new boss._

" _That is not what I meant Kaiba. I'm surprised that you never figured it out... after Battle City, Joey dueled with me and the Pharaoh and he won his red eyes back."_

 _Kaiba snorted, not believing what Yugi was saying._

" _Yes, I'm sure that the Pharaoh gave it all in a meaningless duel against his friend. I'm not worried about that duel either Yugi."_

" _Kaiba, do you really think that Joey would have accepted that card back if he thought that we had given him that duel? You know how prideful he is, especially back then. It was a fair duel, and he won without any help."_

 _The room was dead quiet for a moment, Kaiba staring at Yugi open mouthed. Coming to his senses, Kaiba wished Yugi a good night, managing to barely control his rage as his new employee left the room. Kaiba waited until the door shut behind him, springing out of his chair and staring out of the window for a minute._

 _He walked back to his computer, looking down at the screen before typing in a name. A brief history came up, along with a picture of said blond duelist, as well as a list of his official duel history. Kaiba stared at the list, not realizing how many tournaments Joey had won over the years._

 _He stared at the picture of the young man, noticing how much he had grown up in the time since they had left Egypt. He reached up, lightly touching the outline of the mutt's profile before shutting down the computer, ignoring the fluttering in his stomach._


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I've cross-posted this fic to AO3, which has a system that allows you to link sequels together. Since does not allow that, I'm going to continue to post chapters here. However, this is actually the sequel to Job Offer, which I call Counter offer.

SUMMARY: 3 months after Joey rejected Kaiba, he has attempted to move on with his life. However, a new offer causes him to rethink his past decisions, and finally realize what it is he really wants. J/K, J/M

Joey reached out to hit his phone, which was currently beeping at an annoying rate at him. Blurry eyed, he stared at the numbers trying to figure out what was going on.

"Oh crap! It's almost 6. Yug's gonna be here in 10 minutes!"

He jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom, brushing his teeth while attempting to brush his hair. That didn't work out to well, so he quickly spat his toothpaste into the sink before attempting to pull a knot out of his blond hair.

Tossing his head a few times to give his hair that trademark poofy look, he went back out into his bedroom, smiling at Mai who was sitting up sleepily in bed watching him.

"Good morning sleeping beauty, how are you feeling?"

He asked, taking the time to walk over and kiss her on the forehead.

"Why are you up so early Joseph? I thought we didn't have to be at Kaiba Corp until 11?"

Mai asked, yawning.

"Yea well, Kaiba's having one of his intense meltdowns and Yugi and I promised we would make everything look perfect. We're going to go over now to check things out and make sure there are no last minute changes that need to be made."

Mai looked over at the clock and nodded.

"How about I bring you boys some breakfast? Say 8 o'clock?"

Joey nodded, starting to drool a little over the thought of food.

"That sounds perfect. I'll leave some cash on the counter along with my keys so you don't have to bother with a cab. Text me when you're ready to leave so I can tell you who's there."

Mai nodded, leaning back against the pillows as she watched the younger male leave the room, waiting until she heard him leave the apartment before picking up her discarded robe and padding into the bathroom for a shower.

Joey greeted Yugi who was yawning behind the wheel of his car. Placing a cup on the roof, he opened the door, handing Yugi the coffee in his hand before grabbing his own and settling in the car. Yugi smiled appreciately, gulping down a bit before sighing.

"Thank God for timers on coffee machines huh Joey?"

Joey smiled in agreement, knowing that both of them had picked up Kaiba's habit of surviving on caffeine and a power bar when he was desperate for food. Yugi looked back up at Joey's apartment, tapping on the wheel a bit.

"Is Mai coming with us?"

"Nah, he's going to come later with some food for us. My kind of woman!"

Yugi shook his head, not really understanding his best friend at all. Mai and Joey had always had a strange relationship, and now that Joey was fully out of the closet it had gotten even weirder. The last time she had been in town they had their hands all over each other, and several people had commented on their PDA's.

That Monday Joey had showed up at work still smelling like Mai's perfume, and Yugi watched as Kaiba had walked in, only to turn and go right back out the door. Joey had pretended not to notice, and when Yugi had called him out on it, Joey had finally broken down and told Yugi about his non-relationship with Kaiba which had shocked him.

Since then, he had been finely tuned to the tension between his boss and co-worker, wondering how long the two of them would be able to keep fooling themselves that things could be normal between them.

Yugi went on auto-matic pilot, driving to work while Joey babbled next to him about random things. Finally they came to Kaiba Corp, parking right next to Kaiba in the empty employee parking area. Joey looked at his watch, relieved that they still have 7 minutes before they were suppose to be there. The two boys walked into their office, dropping of their stuff before going up to Kaiba's office.

The brunet was there, pacing by the window as he waited. Mokuba was half asleep on the couch, moaning under his breath about the time. Kaiba glared at his two employees, not caring that they were exactly on time. A strong, perfumy scent hit his nose, and Kaiba's eyes narrowed as he realized where

bit was coming from.

"Hey boss, is that what you're going to wear today? I thought we were suppose to, well, recapture the looks from Battle City."

Kaiba rolled his eyes, fixing his blue tie carefully.

"The tournament doesn't start until Saturday you two. Today is only the big announcement where we reintroduce all of the contestants to the world. Now, the other 5 contestants know to be here by 11 for hair and makeup correct?"

Yugi and Joey nodded. The Ishtars had come in the week prior, Ishizu wanting to help set up the exhibit that helped explain the Egyptian roots of Duel Monsters. Ryou had barely agreed to come to this, not wanting to bring up so many bad memories. Tea had convinced him, even though she was ready to pop, that it would be theraputic for all of them for him to participate.

Marik had taken some convincing also, but the idea of a fair tournament without all of the drama of other selves was intriguing. That, and his siblings both signing up had been enough push for him. Mokuba had finally gotten up off the couch and walked over, clipboard in hand.

"Ryou will be going first today so the kids aren't stuck here all day. Serenity and Tristan are coming with them to watch all of them while Ryou and Tea are in their interview. The Ishtars will be next, followed by Mai, followed by the three of you. Lunch will be served at 12, and everyone is welcomed to stay and hang out. Joey, can you make sure the food gets here and set up?"

Joey nodded, giving Mokuba a thumbs up before he continued.

"Tomorrow the interviews will air on tv, Tuesday will be the memories of people who were in the tournament and who watched the action happen. Wednesday will be a tour of the Egypt exhibit, with Ishizu talking about various aspects. Pegasus is going to talk about how he designed the cards, and show his insperation behind certain designs."

Kaiba made a face at the mentioning of the Industrial Illusions CEO, annoyed that he had to invite the older man to his big announcement.

"Thursday is the big reveal of the first ever Kaiba Corp game system, followed by dinner for the participants. Friday is the first round, which will be the same rounds from Battle City. Saturday will be the second round, with other games happening at the same time. Sunday will be the championship round, with the re-crowning of the King of Games to follow... not that we don't know who's going to end up winning."

Mokuba winked at Yugi who blushed a little. Kaiba growled under his breath before standing up.

"If that's all, I have to finish my notes before the interview."

He handed both of the boys a stack of sheets.

"Here is the questions that they are authorized to use. Hand them out to everyone when they get here so they have a chance to figure out their answers."

Yugi and Joey looked over them quickly before bowing to Kaiba and leaving. Kaiba watched them go, hoping silently that the perfume that still lingered in the air would disipate quickly. As soon as they left then room, Joey nudged Yugi slighly.

"So one of the questions is about how we all met... how much of that story should we tell?"

Yugi smiled to himself.

"I guess talking about how I made a wish on a gold pyramid that I would have friends is kinda weird. Or the fact that I had an ancient spirit inside my body right?"

Joey laughed shortly before following his friend to the conference room. The two boys worked quickly, making sure the room was cleaned and tables were set up. The packets were labeled with each person's name, and placed around the table. They had also checked the room next door for a kids area, making sure it was safe for the group that would be coming in.

They worked so hard that Joey barely even realized his phone was ringing, picking it up right as the voicemail took over. He quickly called Mai back, talking to her for a minute before hanging up the phone.

"Mai's bringing donuts, some fruit and coffee for us and the other two. She'll be here in 20." J

oey informed Yugi while smiling.

"Sounds good to me Joey, I'm straved. I didn't want to wake up Grandpa this morning so I didn't get to cook anything."

"I know the feeling Yug', Mai and I were up so late talking that I almost didn't wake up."

Yugi shook his head, knowing how they were when they got together.

"I guess we should check the interview room too huh? We should make sure that everything is ready so we aren't freaking out when the whole thing starts."

Joey agreed, looking over the list so they would have the props in order.

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Mai pulled into the parking lot, parking next to Yugi's car. She pulled out the box of donuts and the box of coffee, using her other hand to pick up the bag containing the fruit. She marched into the main hallway, winking at the security guard who was staring at her slack jawed. Mai winked at him, enjoying the attention she was getting.

"Could you tell me where the interviews are going to be? I have to start getting ready, you know how long it takes to look this good."

She flipped her long blonde hair dramatically while the guard fumbled for a second.

"I'll have to call down an escort for you miss. I'm not allowed to let people wander through the building by themselves."

"Don't bother I'm right here."

Kaiba stated, appearing in the lobby. Mai looked him up and down appreciately, enjoying how much the brunet had grown up over the years.

"Come with me."

With that Kaiba turned on his heel and marched over to the elevator, Mai quickly following. They rode in silence, Mai shifting in her boots while Kaiba texted on his phone, unaware of the perfume smell that was coming off of the blonde duelist.

They reached the correct floor and Kaiba got off, leading Mai to the rest of the group. She dropped the food and coffee on the table then hugged Yugi and shook Mokuba's hand, gushing over how tall and handsome he had become in the past year.

Kaiba hung back, watching the looks the two blonds exchanged. They were sitting next to each other, and every once in a while Mai's hand would brush against his thigh, or Joey would lean over to whisper in her ear, brushing back pieces of blonde hair in the process.

"Hey Kaiba."

Yugi said, interrupting his thought process.

"How about you come over here and eat something so you don't pass out on us later?"

Kaiba grunted before sitting down next to Mokuba, trying to ignore the others at the table. Mokuba patted his brother on the shoulder before joining in on the conversation between the three duelists.

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Joey leaned against the door, exhausted. It was close to 5 o'clock and it was finally time for them to leave. The interviews had taken forever, with the woman in charge trying to ask questions that were not on the list, much to Kaiba's annoyance.

Finally, it was done, the camera crew packed up and left. Yugi had cleaned up the break room, while Mai had helped Joey pack up all the Duel Monsters props and put them away for the next event. Mokuba had helped out for a few minutes before he excused himself to go take care of other business. Kaiba on the other hand had swept out of the room as soon as they were done without acknowledging anyone.

The rest of the gang had left earlier, after deciding to meet up at Duke and Tristan's for another dinner. Serenity had sent Joey a pointed look, placing her hands on her own slightly swollen belly in a warning that he understood all too well.

Joey looked around the room one more time before escorting Mai out and locking up, walking into the break room to check on Yugi.

"Hey Yug, you almost done? We have to be at the guys by 6:30 or we might miss out!"

"I doubt that Joey, Tristan knows better than to not feed you by now, at least I hope so!"

Yugi laughed before looking at his watch.

"I've got to go clean up quick and grab Grandpa, I'll see you guys in a bit?"

The two blonds waved good bye, watching the shorter boy go. Joey glanced around the room, checking to make sure it was cleaned before locking it up as well. He then wrapped his arm around Mai's waist and pulled her next to him, walking side by side with her out of the building, ignoring the voice in his head that told him Kaiba was watching his every move.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks to Talyag for being such a loyal reviewer and Ophelia_Elric for keeping up with this fic... This chapter kinda got away from me... geez. Anyway, I know nothing about playing duel monsters which is why I never actually write a duel, so forgive any mistakes I may have made! Thank you everyone for reading!

Ryou gently rubbed his wife's belly, smiling softly as they watched the duel in front of them. Mokuba had cleared out one of the observation decks for them so Tea could watch in relative comfort. It was the second day of the Battle City Tournament, and so far everything was going pretty much according to plan.

Ryou and Yugi had gone first, joking around and having a good time. Yugi had won by summoning

Slifer, on loan from Ishizu herself. Seeing the red dragon across the field again brought back memories that Ryou had buried deep inside himself, and he did not want to dwell on them.

Instead he watched as Ahmet stared out the window at the current duel going on- Mai V. Kaiba. Malik had refused to use Ra in their duel and Mai beat him soundly without breaking a sweat.

Joey too had beaten Odion, and the three finalists had prepped themselves for a four way duel just as the last Battle City had gone. Kaiba had surprised all of them when he said that the matches were already set. He would be battling Mai first, then it would be Yugi and Joey.

Right now Mai was staring at Kaiba's Ultimate Dragon, all three mouths ready to attack. Kaiba smirked, staring down at the blonde across from him. Ryou and Tea both leaned forward, knowing what was coming next.

"Blue Eyes! Attack and wipe out her remaining life points."

Blue Eyes roared, all three heads rearing back to blast Mai's Harpies out of the game.

"Not so fast Kaiba. I activate Defusion! Now your 3 dragons are back, canceling out your attack and ending your turn."

Kaiba froze, his mind bringing up the last Battle City, when Yugi had used that card to defeat his dragon.

"Now, I draw."

Mai closed her eyes, praying to whoever that she would pull the right card.

"I place Harpies Pet Dragon on the field. This card gains 300 attack points for every Harpies on the field and since I have 6, that's 1800. That puts my Pet Dragon at 3800."

Mai ran a finger down another card on her field before flipping it over.

"Now I activate Double Attack! Once I place a level 5 monster in my graveyard, this card allows Harpies Pet Dragon to attack twice. Now, destroy two of Kaiba's Blue Eyes along with his remaining life points!"

Pet Dragon attacked, and the audience watched in shock as Kaiba's lifepoints went to 0. He stood there motionless as they were slowly lowered to the ground, still staring at the field as Mai's Harpies disappeared. Mai jumped up, greeted by Joey and Yugi who were both grinning. She walked over to shake Kaiba's hand, ignoring his distant look.

She then waved at the box that the rest of the gang was in, smiling as all the kids jumped up and down cheering. Taking one last bow at the crowd she walked off the stage, only to be immediately jumped on by Joey.

Mokuba was standing next to them, watching silently as the two blonds whispered to each other. Yugi was on the other side, beaming at how happy his friend was. Secretly, he was just glad it wasn't going to be Kaiba in the finals, that way he wouldn't have to deal with the fall out later. Just then Grandpa appeared, waving frantically at the group.

"Yugi! Tea's water just broke they're heading to the hospital!"

"It's about time! I'm just glad they got to be here for most of the tournament."

Mai let go of Joey, squeezing his shoulder affectionately.

"Well, I guess you two should get your duel going so we can get out of here huh."

Yugi agreed, looking over at Mokuba who checked his watch.

"You guys have 20 minutes, they need to reset everything and give the arena a bit of a break before they next duel. Plus it gives people the chance to grab a bite and use the restrooms."

Joey's stomach growled at the thought of food and he grabbed it grimacing.

"Come on guys, let's go up to the suite I'm sure there's something leftover for you guys to eat quick!"

Joey perked up at that, grabbing Yugi and dragging him up the stairs.

"Com on Yug', if I'm gonna have to duel you I don't want it to be on an empty stomach!"

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Joey stood outside the door, hesitating. He knew he was being watched, but he didn't really care. Finally, he knocked, turning the door knob slightly to enter his boss's office. It was dark, the only light the glow of the street lights and Kaiba's laptop The brunet was typing away, ignoring everything around him.

Joey continued to walk forward only to be stopped by the sound of crunching glass. He looked only to see a broken vase on the floor. Joey glanced around the room, realizing that it was trashed.

"Did you get robbed or something Kaiba?"

He quipped, getting no response. Sighing to himself, he walked over to the desk gently pushing away the laptop before sitting on the desk. Crossing his legs and placing his elbows on his knees he stared at Kaiba, taking in the two bruises on his face where something must have flipped up and hit him. The blood on his sleeve came from his knuckles, and there were several cuts on his arm.

"Kaiba, you got to quit doing this to yourself. It's just a duel, it doesn't mean you aren't great if someone beats you once in awhile."

"Go away Wheeler. I don't have time for this nonsense of yours right now."

Joey grabbed Kaiba's coat, pulling him close.

"Well that's just too bad Kaiba. I didn't come here to watch you whimper over losing to Mai, I came here to challenge you to a duel!"

"Excuse me? Why would I waste my time on you. Just because we slept together doesn't mean I'm gonna let you win when my reputation is on the line mutt."

Joey shook his head, hitting Kaiba with a few strands.

"The only reason I'm challenging you is because it's tradition Kaiba. Remember what happened last time? You got all butt hurt when Yugi beat you then we dueled and you felt better! You pushed me to my limits and even though I didn't win you gave me the confidence to believe I could!"

Kaiba pushed his chair away from the desk, causing Joey who was still holding on to him to let go before he fell.

"Get out Wheeler before I do something you'll regret."

He stared straight at Joey, daring him to say anything. Joey sighed, carefully sliding off the desk before marching out of the room and slamming the door.

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"Ladies and Gentlemen, Yugi Moto is the winner of the Battle City Rematch! Thank you all for coming!"

Joey was in the box with the rest of the gang, smiling as the rug rats in front of him cheered their Uncle Yugi on. Grandpa was beaming, still proud of his grandson even after all the tournaments he had already won. Tristan was still filming, letting Tea and Ryou see the tournament while they rested in the hospital.

Tea had given birth over night to a baby girl, and the group would be over to greet their newest member as soon as the closing ceremonies were over. The video screen slowly showed highlights of each duel, ending with a close up of Yugi summoning Dark Magician Girl to wipe out Mai's life points.

Once the show ended, Mokuba stood up, waving at the crowd and thanking everyone who had participated in the tournament. He then introduced Pegasus, who pranced up to the stage waving and smiling at the crowd.

"Good evening everyone, my what a crowd. When I created Duel Monsters I neven imagined it would grow into what it is today. Thank you all for your support."

The crowd roared, clearly facinated by the silver-haired man. Pegasus waited, drinking in the cheers and claps. These were the moments he lived for, when he was in the middle of the adoration of a

crowd.

"With that being said, it is time for me to give back to you. Industrial Illusions is partnering with Kaiba Corp to bring a new generation of Duel Disks to everyone who wants to learn to play. We will be selling these to shops and selling them at cost. Each disk will come with a free tournament pass to be used within a year. We are also starting and supporting new tournament and increasing incentives to play. Our hope is to encourage everyone who wants to be a duelist, so they may stand shoulder to shoulder with those who played this weekend."

Pegasus waved at the crowed again before handing the microphone back to Mokuba. The tournament ended shortly after, all 8 participants signing autographs and taking photos. As soon as they could, Yugi and Joey left, heading for the hospital so they could see their friends.

Tristan, Duke and Serenity had already gone, taking the kids so they could meet their new sister. None of them were allowed to say the baby's name, only telling Yugi that Tea wanted to tell them herself.

"So, do you think they're done now? Or should we offer to help Ryou build an addition on to his house?"

Joey questioned, causing Mai and Yugi to both roll their eyes.

"Joseph, if you don't want to lose any body parts I suggest you don't ask them that question."

Mai said sweetly, turning the wheel sharply when she almost missed a turn. Yugi laughed before considering the question himself.

"I guess it's a good thing that Ryou's father left him that house to live in when he went back to England, or else they'd be in trouble."

The two boys chuckled while Mai rolled her eyes. She pulled into the hospital and parked, following them to the maternity ward. They signed in, showed their ID's and waited while they were confirmed by the staff to come in. Ryou was the first person they saw when they went through, holding a small bundle in his arms.

"Hey guys, glad you all made it."

He smiled softly at the bundle in his arms before offering congratulation Yugi on his victory. Tea called out from the room, wanting her friends to all come in to see her.

"What happened to you?"

Joey asked as soon as he saw her.

"Joseph! She just had a baby cut the girl some slack."

Yugi said while Mai hit him on the arm.

"I know that, but why is her leg propped up like that? She's never had to do that before."

Tea smiled before reaching down to rub her knee.

"I twisted it when I was trying to walk around during labor. I'll be ok but it's swelling pretty bad right now."

Ryou gently placed his daughter in his wife's arms kissing both of them. Joey was the first one to the bed, staring down at the tiny perfection in Tea's arms.

"So what did you guys name her?"

He questioned, causing Tea and Ryou to look at each other.

"We thought we'd call her Mana, after the girl who saved us when we were trapped in the Memory World. If that's ok with you Yugi."

Yugi nodded, smiling at his memories of the apprentice who would one day become the Dark Magician Girl.

"Hey Mana, I'm your Uncle Joey. This here is your Aunt Mai and that guy over there with the crazy hair is your Uncle Yugi."

Tea offered the baby to Joey, who carefully took her and pulled her close. Ryou pushed a chair over so he could sit, and Joey carefully snuggled his new niece, kissing her on the top of her head and softly talking to her.

Mai and Yugi sat down also, giving Ryou and Tea an entertaining recap of their duel. Ryou chuckled at their descriptions, holding his wife's hand as they listened. Once they were done, Yugi demanded his turn, and Mana was handed over.

Yugi held her for a few minutes before handing her to Mai. The group couldn't help but smile at the blonde woman. She had always been gone when the kids had been born, so this was the first time she'd ever been at the hospital and held one of their babies.

"Mai, if it wasn't for you I'd still be pregnant... you beating Kaiba got her so worked up she wanted to come out and meet you!"

"You're very welcome Tea, I'm glad I could be here to meet her."

Mai gently stroke her arm before offering her back to Ryou, who gave her back to Tea. The three left shortly after, exchanging kisses and hugs with the parents.

Once they left, Mai took the boys to one of the diners for dinner, rehashing all the things that had happened over the past week. Once they were done, Mai dropped Yugi off at the Game Shop,

promising that they would duel again soon.

Grandpa came out to compliment Mai on her skills, and then the two blonds drove off back to Joey's apartment.

Joey yawned as he laid in bed, watching a movie with Mai. They had both taken showers before deciding that they weren't tired enough yet for sleep. Instead they had re-watched the broadcast of Kaiba and Mai's duel, discussing different strategies that she could hae used to at different times. Then Mai had switched over to a movie, and they laid down to watch it, Joey gently running his fingers through her hair while she drifted off to sleep.

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"So when is Mai leaving? I thought she said something about dueling in that big tournament in Australia?"

Yugi asked, pausing in his drawing to look at Joey.

"She decided to stick around for a bit instead I guess. Mai seems to have a connection with Mana, she's been over to Tea and Ryou's almost everyday for the whole month. I'm sure she'll leave when she's all babied out."

Yugi chuckled, knowing Mai's long standing fear of commitments.

"Tea said she'd bring the kids over this weekend so they can see Grandpa. Apparently Ahmet has been hounding them to learn how to play so Ryou is going to let him pick out a few cards to learn how to play with since Tea thinks his deck is too scary for a kid."

"Yea, some of those cards freak me out, I can't believe someone as nice as Ryou has such weird obsessions. Uck."

Joey shivered, causing Yugi to laugh.

"It's nice to see that some things don't change Joey."

Joey winked at his best friend before pointing at the paper on his desk then nodding to the camera. Yugi smiled before adding a few more lines to his drawing and passing it over to Joey for approval. He nodded, beginning to carefully ink over the lines while Yugi worked on the next paper.

The day flew by, and before either boy knew it, it was time to leave for the weekend.

"Well Joey, how about I drop these off for Kaiba and I'll meet you guys at Rancho's?"

Joey gave him a thumbs up. It was tradition for the group after Tea was ready to rejoin them for them to have dinner at Rancho's to celebrate. Tonight was the night, and the whole gang had been waiting for this for what seemed like forever. Tea's parents would watch the kids, giving their daughter and son-in-law a much needed break.

"Works for me! I'm going to pick up Mai and the guests of honor, and you're bringing Mokuba right? Don't forget to ask Kaiba if he wants to go, even though I'm sure he'll say no."

Yugi smiled before nodding, the hundreds of other times that they had asked Kaiba to join them for something and been rejected floating through his mind.

"You know how Kaiba is, unwilling to admit that he considers us his friends."

Joey nodded and left the room, texting Tristan to let him know their ETA. Luckily, Mai was already over at Tea's helping her out. Now that Ryou was back to work she was alone with the kids, and if it wasn't for her friends helping her out she probably would have gone insane.

Even now, as Joey was coming in the house, she had two of the triplets hanging off her begging for snuggles. Mai had Mana, who was bawling her eyes out as Tea's mother attempted to take her. Tea's dad was talking to Vaughn, who had his head buried inbetween Ryou's pant legs.

Ahmet stood in the hallway watching next to Knute, either one waiting for the opportunity to cause more mayhem. Ahmet saw him first, his face lighting up.

"Uncle Joey! You're here! Come play with us!"

The two boys launched at Joey, each grabbing a leg.

"Whoa kids, sorry the Joey train is leaving the building with mom and dad. I promise I'll bring them back in one piece to you guys."

The two pouted, arms crossed as they silently begged Joey to reconsider. Joey smiled before ruffling their hair, one brunette the other white as snow.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow when you go see Gpa ok?"

Knute frowned, attempting to pull out his sad face, annoyed they weren't getting their way. Joey knelt down and looked him square in the eye.

"Knute, Yugi's my best friend. Trust me you'll never do puppy eyes better than he does."

Knute knew that was true and he choose to wisely drop the subject, hitting his older brother in the shoulder lightly before running off.

Ahmet gave his uncle a hug before approaching Vaughn, pulling him away from their father with a few words. He then herded Tobiah and Jotham away from Tea before picking up Mana's favorite toy and handing it to his grandmother. The older woman smiled, using the toy to lure her only grand daughter to her.

"Alright mom, they can watch one show while we leave and one before bed. You know where the numbers are and what they all like to eat. We should be home by 11."

Tea said, hugging her parents in thanks. She kissed each one of her children along with Ryou, taking an extra beat to encourage Vaughn. Joey and Mai had already gone out to the car, wanting to give the group some privacy to say goodbye.

One more kiss and the parents were ready to leave, Ryou grabbing Tea firmly by the elbow to make sure she would actually leave the house. Joey turned the engine on as soon as he saw them. Ryou escorted his wife to the car, placing her behind Joey and firmly shutting the door. She stared out the window at the house, feelings of panic starting to form. As Ryou climbed in the other side, she reached for the handle.

"Sorry guys, I'm not ready for this, I'm going to go back inside and help my parents out with the kids.

Maybe we can try again in a week."

She pulled on the handle, frowning as the door didn't open.

"I figured you'd say that Tea. That's why I made sure to put on the child safety lock this time."

He winked in the rear view mirror at the annoyed brunette before reminding them to buckle up and putting the car in reverse.

They made it to the restaurant quickly, Tea muttering under her breath what she wanted to do to them when she would be allowed to get out of the car. Joey opened the door for her, bowing deeply to the irrated brunette who smacked him in the face. He linked arms with Tea, sweeping past Ryou and Mai who were giggling at them.

'The group entered the room, waving at one of the waitress's who saw them come in. Luckily Duke and Tristan were already at the booth, and Joey pushed Tea down before allowing Ryou to squeeze in next to her while Joey and Mai sat on the outside. Tea frowned at all her friends, knowing they were blocking her in so she wouldn't bolt.

"We already ordered a drink for you Tea."

Tristan said as the waitress approached and placed a giant margarita in front of her. Mai grinned before pointing at the drink and ordering one for herself. Once the waitress left she turned towards Tristan, wondering where Serenity was. Tristan pointed towards the front of the restaurant, shrugging.

A minute later Serenity came back to the table from the bathroom and sat down on the chair at the end. At 5 months she was deep in the uncomfortable part of her pregnancy. This one wore her out quickly, and she was glad to have a few hours to rest without her daughter.

Joey was cracking a joke, and she turned to look at him, smiling at her big brother. Yugi came up to the table, flanked by a Kaiba brother on each side.

"Wow Yug how did you manage to get both the brothers here?"

Tristan asked, winking at his buddy.

"Don't worry, I'm not staying. I just came to deliver a check to Mai."

Kaiba stated coolly, placing his briefcase down on the table before opening it and pulling out an envelope which he promptly handed over.

"They forgot to pay you your 2nd place fees. I would have mailed it to you but you don't have an address listed in our system."

Mai smiled sweetly as she accepted the envelope.

"You could have sent it home with Joey I've been staying with him while I'm in town."

Kaiba's face tightened for just a second before he nodded stiffly and picked up his briefcase. Mokuba nudged him before gesturing towards Ryou and Tea with his chin. Kaiba looked at them and uttered a strained congrats before turning and leaving them to all party without him. The gang watched him go before digging into the chips and salsa the waitress had brought to their table.

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Joey adjusted Mai's weight on his shoulder as he attempted to unlock his front door. A little jiggling finally got him in, and Joey picked Mai back up, carrying her bridal style and placing her on the couch. Mai giggled at him, sitting up and pulling Joey next to her. Joey laughed as he pulled her close, letting the blonde snuggle into him. They sat for a bit, enjoying the silence after a fun night out. "I should probably go to bed. My heads going to be pounding tomorrow from too much drinking." Mai said, yawning.

"You need any help?"

"No I'll be fine, just listen in case I fall over."

Joey patted her on the shoulder. Mai kicked off her heels and stood up, shaking her head when she felt a little dizzy. She looked down at Joey before gently giving him a kiss on the top of his head and saying goodnight. Joey settled back down on the couch, texting his friends to make sure everyone made it home before heading off to bed himself.

The next morning Mai woke up to the smells of breakfast. She walked into the kitchen to see Joey cooking pancakes. Bacon was sizzling and coffee was brewing. Mai sunk into a chair, watching him flipping a pancake bigger than her face.

"You do realize there is only the two of us right?"

She asked, eyeing the stack that was growing by the minute.

"Yea, well trust me, there will be people showing up soon. Somehow hangover breakfast always happens here."

Joey turned off the stove and made a plate for himself and for Mai.

"If I don't eat now I won't get a chance too."

Mai smiled as she dug into her own plate, surprised to realize she was starving.

"Hey Joey, can we talk about something for a minute?"

Joey nodded before taking another big bite of pancakes and smiling.

"It's kind of serious so I'd appreciate it if you would stop eating."

Joey blinked at her, still chewing. He swallowed before grinning.

"Sorry Mai, you've got my attention, I promise."

Mai bit her lip, not knowing how to start.

"Well, I've been doing some thinking about my life and I decided it was time to make a change. I'm tired of traveling around and bouncing from hotel room to hotel room and man to man. I want to settle down and have some sort of family life, and I want to do it with you."

Joey started coughing, choking on air as he had a spasm. Once he got himself under control he looked over at her in shock.

"Um, Mai? You do know I'm gay right. I like men, not women."

"I know that Joey. I also know that love can't fit into a neat box all the time. It changes over time and grows and shrinks, and that sometimes the labels we put on ourselves are not the whole story. I've spent so much time running around the world trying to hide from what I thought I didn't want- one person to spend the rest of my life with."

Mai pulled something out of her pocket and placed it on the table. It was the Orichalos stone that Mai had worn, the one that had turned her against everyone. Joey picked it up and looked it over, not understanding what she wanted.

"At some point of our lives you loved me enough to break the hold a mad man had on me, and save me from myself. I couldn't look you in the eyes for years after, and maybe that's why things changed between us."

Joey swallowed, squeezing the necklace in his hand.

"Mai... of course I saved you. You mean so much to me you know that... I just..."

Mai placed her hand on his, looking Joey square in the eye.

"I want to marry you Joey. I want to spend the rest of my life as your wife."

She was answered by only silence.


	10. Chapter 10

A;N: Just so people know, after everything they've been through, the gang considers each other family. Therefore, the kids call everyone Aunt and Uncle even though they are not blood related. The also call Yugi's Grandpa Gpa because, well, Grandpa is hard for a kid to say and he feels he's not old enough to be a 'great' anything :) Anyway, thanks Gairah for following! Enjoy!

Serenity tapped Tristan on the face, attempting to wake him up again. It was almost 9 and she was starving. Joey had texted her a picture of his pancakes, and all she wanted to do was go stuff her face with every single one she could manage.

Amabel was already dressed, thrilled that she was going to see her Uncle Joey. Duke was downstairs tinkering with some new game device that he planned on using during his next tournament. That left Serenity to wake up Tristan, who was a solid 10 am wake up person. She frowned again, looking at the brunet thoughtfully.

"Amabel, why don't you come get your Uncle Tristan up so-"

The young girl ran in before her mother could finish the sentence and lunged herself at Tristan, jumping on the sleeping man causing him to groan. Tristan finally opened up his eyes, blinking up at Serenity as he tried to grasp why his sleep had been interrupted. Serenity placed her hand up to her mouth and giggled, watching as Tristan gently picked her daughter up and placed her on the floor.

"Hurry up! I wanna go to Uncle Joey's!"

Amabel told him sternly, poking Tristan in the stomach.

"Jeez, you're just like your Uncle when it comes to food. Feed me feed me feed me!"

Tristan sat up, stretching lazily.

"Alright, I'll be ready to go in 10 minutes I promise. Why don't you go find your Uncle Duke and tell him to get you in the car?"

Amabel nodded, bouncing out of the room with her mother following her.

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"-what it was and they'll be singing it forever just because this is the song that doesn't end-"

Dukes eye started to twitch as Amabel started with what seemed like the 100th rendition of the most annoying song known to man. Luckily they were pulling into Joey's apartment complex, which would hopefully distract her enough to stop.

After they pulled to a stop, Serenity quickly unbuckled her daughter before Tristan pulled her out. Amabel snuggled into the brunet's arms, smiling at her mother. Duke offered Serenity a hand to help her out of the car which she appreciated.

The foursome walked into the building, Amabel still bouncing in Tristan's arms as they got closer and closer to her Uncle's door. Once they were there, Amabel knocked, yelling out that she was there. The door opened, and there was Mai, smiling at the young girl as Amabel yelled in her face.

"Your Uncle is in the kitchen, why don't you go see what he's making for you?"

Mai smiled at the young girl who bounced off immediately into the next room, attacking her uncle who yelped playfully. Mai ushered the three adults inside, offering Serenity some tea while the red head sat down. Serenity looked up at her, noting the slight puffiness around the older woman's eyes.

"Tea would be nice Mai, but why don't you let Tristan get it? I want to show you the pictures from my latest ultrasound."

Serenity gave Tristan and Duke a pointed look, and the two boys excused themselves while Serenity pulled Mai down on the couch next to her.

"What's going on Mai? Did my brother say something to upset you?"

She asked, concerned. Mai smiled at her, trying to calm her concerns.

"Everything's fine Serenity. I just have a tournament next weekend and I'm not sure I'm ready to go, it's been so great staying here and getting to know all of you guys better!"

Serenity hugged her, relieved.

"You have to promise that you will be back for my baby shower! It wouldn't be the same without you Mai, you're like a sister to me."

Mai froze at Serenity's words, blinking back a few tears.

"Let me get you your tea Serenity, I'm sure the boys are too busy fooling around to be bothered."

She disappeared through the door, coming back with two mugs. She handed one to Serenity before sitting down with the other.

"So, how about those pictures?" Serenity's eyes light up as she dug in her purse, pulling out an ultrasound. She pointed out several things to Mai, who couldn't help but grin at the younger girls excitement.

"I can't believe how big he's gotten... it seems like just yesterday you were texting me a picture of this little dot on a screen. I'm so excited for you guys!"

Amabel came back into the room then, climbing into Mai's lap. The young girl had become quite attached to the blonde the past month, as Serenity dropped her off quite a bit when she was working. Mai often took her over to Tea's, which meant she got to hang out with her favorite person Ahmet all the time.

"Mommy, Uncle Joey says that pancakes are done. He will bring you some."

Serenity smiled, winking at Mai.

"There's definitely something to this whole barefoot and pregnant thing. Maybe that's why Tea is always getting knocked up."

Mai laughed as Amabel shifted on her lap. Joey came out then with two plates, giving one to his sister. Mai stood up, placing Amabel on the couch while Joey handed her a plate with a cut up pancake on it. Duke and Tristan plopped down on Joey's love seat, each handling a plate piled high with pancakes. Joey checked his watch before sitting down next to his niece, stealing a piece off her plate.

"Hey Mai, I told Yugi we'd be over by 10. Gramps needs some help filling orders after the last tournament and I offered to help."

Mai nodded, looking at her own watch.

"I'll start getting ready then, you should sit down and relax for a bit Joseph."

Joey nodded, pulling his niece close and tickling her gently as Mai left the room. Yugi waved at the group as they walked in, smiling brightly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hi guys! Ryou and Tea are going to be here in a bit with the kids, so why don't you go ahead inside Amabel?"

The young girl nodded, bouncing into the house attached to the Game Shop. Serenity followed, yelling at her to slow down.

"So what can we help you with bud?"

Tristan asked, eager to help out also.

"Well, Gramps is inside sorting out several boxes of cards. He's having problems getting the orders to print out, and he can't reach some of the inventory in the closet very well."

Yugi counted off on his fingers, making sure he didn't forget anything.

"Well I can help your Grandpa sort out Yugi, I'd love to look at some packs before I head off for my next tournament."

Mai said, heading into the house. Yugi smiled before turning to Duke.

"Can you help with the printing? I know you're really good with computers."

"Of course Yugi. I'll go check it out right now. Come on Tris I might need some help."

The two boys left the room, leaving Yugi and Joey alone. Yugi turned towards Joey with an eyebrow raised.

"Ok, now we're alone. What is up with the SOS text you sent this morning?"

Joey looked at the door before pulling Yugi towards the closet. Once the door was closed, he flipped on the light, temporarily blinding them. Once he adjusted, Joey dug into his jacket pocket and pulled something out. Yugi gasped as his brain caught up with his eyes and he realized what his friend was holding. Joey placed the necklace in his hand, staring at Yugi intensely.

"I don't understand...where did you get this from, I thought they were all destroyed?"

"Well I guess not. Mai gave me this this morning... when she proposed to me."

"WHAT!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kaiba spun around in his chair, fingertips pressed to his forehead as he grimaced in pain.

"You ok big brother? You look like you need a break."

"I'm fine Mokuba. It's just been a long few weeks."

Mokuba shook his head, annoyed.

"You need to get off the computer for a bit bro. You look awful."

Kaiba sighed before shutting down his computer. He was caught up on work anyway, and he really couldn't afford to tick his little brother off again. Their relationship was already on rocky ground after the whole Joey fiasco, and Kaiba didn't want to risk his little brother turning around and freaking out again about things he couldn't control.

Mokuba had been coming home every weekend since Joey had left, and he would soon be home for a long school break, during which he had informed Kaiba that they would be going on vacation somewhere.

Kaiba had agreed, knowing from experience that now that his brother had reached adulthood, the younger boy had no problem using his 3 inch height difference to force him to do things. One time Mokuba had even forced Kaiba to leave the building by carrying him to the elevator.

That was an experience that Kaiba desperately wanted to forget. It had taken weeks for the snickering to stop, and even now Yugi and Joey would find a way to bring it up in the most annoying of circumstances.

"Come on Seto, you are not sitting in here all day I won't let you! It's a beautiful morning let's go and do something."

Kaiba tapped on his keyboard, annoyed. He had way to much work to do today to leave so soon, it was only 9:30 in the morning and he was swamped.

"I figured you'd still be in bed Mokuba. I know how hard the geek squad tends to party."

Mokuba waved his hand, dismissing Kaiba's comment.

"Ryou and Tea are taking their kids to the Game Shop. Their oldest wants to put together a deck and we all are going to watch!"

Kaiba rolled his eyes again, miffed that his brother was spending even more time with that group. It wasn't like they were the most entertaining people in the world, nor was he making important connections that would help him once he got out of school. Still, there was the benefit of distracting Mokuba when Kaiba needed to get things done...

"Why don't you head over there Mokie? I have to finish up a few things then we can meet for lunch somewhere, how does that sound?"

Mokuba frowned at his childhood nick name, but realized that he was getting a good offer from his brother and he should jump on it.

"Alright Seto, I'll text you when we get done. Just promise me you won't try to fit a whole days worth into a few hours alright?"

Kaiba nodded, reaching up to ruffle his brother's head only to be reminded that his brother was too tall now. Mokuba leaned down and hugged Kaiba before bouncing out of the room smiling.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yugi stared at Joey in shock, not believing what he had just heard.

"I didn't even know that the two of you were together, and now you're getting married! So what was that thing with Kaiba, just testing the waters before you went back to Mai?"

Joey shook his head, holding up both of his hand in defense.

"Listen Yug' I'm not getting anything to anybody. At least not right now. Mai and I had a little talk and I told her I wasn't ready to make such a big decision. She's going to give me some time and then we will talk about things and see where we are from there."

Yugi shook his head, still not understanding his best friends thinking on this one.

"So, are you telling anyone what happened this morning?"

"I think it's for the best if I don't say anything. I told you because you're the only one who knows about all the stupid dating choices I've made over the years. Tris is so busy worrying about this kid that he wouldn't give me good advice, and Serenity and Tea will get so wound up in the wedding part they'll forget about the marriage."

Yugi placed a hand on the blond's shoulder, smiling at him.

"Well, I think you both are crazy for even thinking about this, but if it will make you happy, I'll support you, I promise."

Joey smiled, hugging the shorter man and lifting him off the ground.

"Thanks Yug!"

Yugi managed to choke out a reply while hitting Joey's arm to let him go.

"That's what friends are for Joey!" Joey finally let Yugi go and pranced out of the storage area while carrying a large box that Grandpa had requested.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ahmet stared at the rows of cards, looking up at Yugi's Grandpa apprehensively.

"Gpa, which ones should I pick? There are so many of them!"

Grandpa smiled at the young boy, ruffling his hair.

"You know, your Uncle Yugi asked me the same question when he started to play Duel Monsters. Same thing with your Uncle Joey. Of course, they were a bit older than you at the time."

Yugi smiled at the memories before realizing that he had the perfect card for the little boy. Pulling out his deck, he flipped through the cards before he got to the perfect one, placing it on the counter in front of Ahmet.

"That looks like something our neighbor's cat throws up in our yard."

Ahmet said, looking down at the Kuriboh in front of him. The group laughed, enjoying the confused look on the boys' face. Yugi knelt in front of him, smiling.

"I know this card looks tiny and helpless, but it has helped me win many duels in my life. He is a strong ally, and a good card to start your first deck."

Joey gave Yugi a thumbs up before pulling out his own deck.

"I'm sure I have something in here for ya Ahmet..."

Joey looked around before pulling out his own card.

"Here ya go- Graceful Dice! This is a powerful magic card that takes a little bit of luck, which your Uncle Joey has in spades!"

Joey placed his card next to Yugi's, smiling at the excited look on Ahmet.

-"Well, if we're all doing it..."

Mai said before placing down her de-spell card. Ahmet smiled up at the blonde who winked at him. Mokuba laughed before placing another card on the table.

"I think you guys have been hanging out too long. Before I came here, Seto gave me a copy of this card to give him also."

The group looked down at the Polymerization card sitting on the table then back to Mokuba, who shrugged.

"He told me that once Ahmet gets a little better, he'll show him how to use this card to make Joey cry after one turn."

Joey blanched at that while Tristan and Duke snickered.

"Well, it seems you have a good start to a deck here Ahmet, why don't I pull out some duplicates that you can have."

Grandpa suggested, pulling out a box from under the counter. "

These are the cards that I buy cheap from duelists and use to help out people that are learning- I only ask that as you build your own deck you bring back a few to pass on. Is that fair Ahmet?"

The little boy nodded, his long brunet hair bouncing up and down.

"So, the first thing you need to do is pick out a few monster cards, then some spell and trap cards. Perhaps your father can help you, he is very good at deck building"

Ahmet nodded, looking through the cards. Tea smiled at her son before nudging her husband, raising an eyebrow at him. Ryou kissed her cheek, then pulled out his own card and placed it next to his friends'.

"Ahmet, I want to give you my own favorite card, The Change of Heart. This card helped me out a long time ago, and I think it will help you as well."

"Thanks dad! This is awesome!"

Ahmet jumped up and down, thrilled to be getting one of his dad's cards. Ryou quickly helped the young boy pick out some more cards, and Grandpa offered to help him learn to play in exchange for some light chores. Ahmet agreed, hugging the older man affectionally.

"Well, I hope Gramps has gotten soft in his old age, I still have scars from his 'training.'"

Joey whispered to Tristan, who grinned, remembering how Yugi's Grandpa had run Joey ragged for weeks. Mokuba was standing behind them and heard Joey's comment, snorting while shaking his head. Joey draped an arm around the raven-haired boy, giving him an affectionate squeeze.

"Mokuba, the stories I could tell ya man."

"Is that so Joseph? Perhaps I should add some more to them then!"

Grandpa said, swinging at the blond with his broom. Joey yelped and dashed out of the room, with Grandpa close behind him and the rest of the group laughing.

"Ok Gramps, I give, drop the broom I promise I'll be good!"

He yelled throughout the house, causing everyone to only laugh more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Ahmet played a practice round against Joey, the group dispersed, much to Joey's chagrin. He took Mai back to the apartment, dreading the talk they were going to have. Mai ignored him the whole way home, plopping on the couch and putting her feet up before pulling out her deck and starting to arrange her cards.

Joey sighed before entering the kitchen, quickly plating two sandwiches before going back into his living room. He watched Mai for a minute, the afternoon sun shining in her blond hair making her look like an angel. Joey put the plates down, sitting on the couch next to Mai before lifting her chin and gently kissing her. He pressed his forehead against her, sighing softly.

"I hope you know how much I love you Mai. I just don't know if I'm in love with you."

Mai looked out the window, closing her eyes as she drunk in the sun for a minute.

"If you love me, this shouldn't be a hard decision."

"It shouldn't, but it is. I swore off women years ago Mai. I couldn't take the heartaches anymore, and I found things were easier with guys, not to mention the sex is fantastic."

Joey grabbed Mai's hand, stroking her fingers gently.

"Joey, I-"

Joey held up a hand, stopping her.

"Mai, before we discuss this anymore, I have something I need to tell you. A few months ago, I got into a fight with Serenity over this whole baby issue, hich I'm sure she told you about."

Mai nodded, remembering getting a hysterical voice mail from the younger girl during a tournament in America.

"Well, I got pretty upset with her and didn't know what to do. I wandered around town for a bit and then I ended up in bed... with Kaiba."

Mai blinked at him for a few seconds before giggling, unable to control herself, thinking of Joey and Kaiba wrapped up in a heated embrace.

"I know it seems dumb, but he's changed a lot since graduation. He took care of me when I needed someone and I-I think I have feelings for him."

The laughter stopped, and Mai stared at him with large purple eyes.

A/N: Wait, was Joey suppose to make an easy decision? What kind of bad fanfic writer would I be? 


	11. Chapter 11

Joey fidgeted in his chair, looking at the clock apprehensively. It was almost one o'clock, and he had requested a meeting with Kaiba hours ago. The brunet had avoided him all day on Sunday, no matter how many text messages the blond had sent.

He had even texted Mokuba, hoping the younger boy would convince his brother to answer him, but Mokuba had firmly told Joey that he was staying out of his brothers love life from now on. Joey couldn't really blame the kid, after all trying to hook up the two rivals had been a disaster.

That left the Kaiba Corp system, which allowed people who had high enough clearances to request private meetings with various other members of the team. Joey had requested one with Kaiba the moment he walked in the door, and once again the brunet had ignored him.

"This is ridiculous."

He muttered, swirling around in his chair annoyed. He looked up at the camera, knowing that Kaiba was watching him squirm.

"You need a new hobby."

He addressed the object, which moved up and down slightly as if answering him. Joey rolled his eyes, looking back at his computer screen before checking the time again.

Since they were in the middle of a big project, Joey and Yugi were unable to take lunch together. Kaiba had refused to get the two a secretary, so one of them had to be available to answer the phones at all times during work hours.

Yugi had gone first, offering to pick Joey something up, which the blond refused. He wasn't hungry, all he wanted was to get out of here for a bit and clear his mind. Speaking of which... Yugi was back, smiling and carrying a bag from the local grocery store. He placed it in front of Joey, winking at his best friend.

"They had those cookies you like in stock so I grabbed you one."

Joey looked in the bag to see a black and white cookie and couldn't help but shake his head.

"Yug you are too good to me sometimes."

"Hey, what are best friends for?"

Yugi settled back into his chair, logging back into the system.

"Oh jeez, Kaiba messaged me."

Yugi opened it, reading quickly.

"Oh, well ok then. Guess I've got a meeting with him."

"Are you kidding me? I've been trying to talk to him for two days and he wants you instead! Typical. Richboy needs to grow up."

Joey said, looking up and straight at the camera for empathizes. Yugi followed his gaze, shaking his head at the camera also.

"Well, this says as soon as I come back, so I guess I'd better go. Do you mind?"

Joey shook his head, still glaring up at the camera.

"Nah, go ahead. If he wants to be a jerk about it then there is not much I can do."

Yugi got up and left the room while Joey propped his feet up on the desk, reaching into the bag and grabbing a cookie, taking an almost defiant bite out of it. His phone beeped, and he looked down to see a text from Tristan. He quickly texted back, amused at how his buddy was always venting about Duke. The two boys had always had an up and down relationship, and the fact that they had gotten married was a source of amusement for the blond.

Taking a last bite of his cookie, he smiled contently, glad he wasn't the only one to have relationship troubles. That made him think about Mai, and he shook his head, trying to ignore his bad thoughts. He hadn't heard from the other blonde since she had left the apartment after his big reveal. She wouldn't answer his calls or messages either.

Between her and Kaiba he was beginning to feel invisible, which was not something he really enjoyed. He eyed his phone, wondering if it was too soon to try again or if he should give Mai some space. Tristan texted him again, this time complaining because Duke freaked out that his favorite shampoo had changed their formula.

"That's what you get for marrying a diva Tris."

Joey smiled, taking great pleasure in tormenting his friend. Just then, Yugi came back, settling into his chair.

"Sorry. Kaiba wanted to know how our beta testing was going. I told him you wanted to speak to him, and he ignored me like he does you."

Joey rolled his eyes, tired of the CEO's games.

"That's fine, it's not like it was really that important anyway. I'm going to lunch, need to clear my head a bit."

"Ok Joey. Hav-"

Yugi was interrupted by the phone, which he quickly picked up. He went to wave bye at Joey before he realized what the call was about. Yugi waved his hand wildly, motioning Joey to come over to his desk. He quickly said good-bye and hung up the phone.

"Well that was Kaiba. He said he has a few minutes if you want to come up and talk to him, but it has to be right now."

"Typical. Everything on his terms. Fine, I'm going right now."

Joey marched up to Kaiba's office, nodding to Roland who was pretending to read the newspaper while observing who came and went from the Kaiba brother's offices. He knocked on Kaiba's door, barely pausing before throwing the door open and staring at the brunet who was sitting casually at his desk, staring intently at his computer screen.

Joey stood before him, frowning. He was getting pretty tired of being ignored by the older man. He looked around, debating about what he could do. His eye's settled on the tilt wand for the blinds, and that helped him develop a plan.

Walking over, he closed the blinds on the west side of Kaiba's office, followed by the north. Luckily, Kaiba had a few lamps on, or it would have been pretty dark. He walked back to Kaiba's desk, perching himself on the edge.

"You seem to think that you run my office Wheeler."  
Kaiba finally said, arching an eyebrow at the blond. Joey shifted slightly, trying to find a more

comfortable position.

"Well, when you run the boss, it kind of goes without saying that you run the office as well."

He replied, smiling at the CEO.

"You don't run me mutt. Don't forget who has always owned your ass every time at whatever game we played."

Kaiba told him stiffly, still typing away at his keyboard. Joey laughed, the bright, cheerful sound causing the brunet to stare at him in suspicion.

"Yea, in card games maybe I'll never beat you. Doesn't mean I won't keep trying though."

He shifted down the desk, pushing away Kaiba's keyboard so he was sitting directly in front of his rival. Pulling the taller boy close, running his hands down the older man's side and watching those blue eyes close for a brief second. Joey took that as acceptance and slowly eased down into Kaiba's lap, leaning in to place his lips next to Kaiba's ear

"However, we both know that I own your ass in the bedroom, where it really counts."

He grinded down on Kaiba's lap, enjoying hearing the CEO moan. Joey smiled to himself, watching as Kaiba fell apart with just a few touches. He gently lifted himself off of Kaiba's lap, waiting for the

CEO to come back to himself. Kaiba glared at Joey, getting annoyed with the blond's games.

"Sorry Kaiba, but I don't think it's smart to get caught with your pants down in the office. I think that would give you a bad rap, don't you think?"

Kaiba ignored him, giving the blond a nasty look. Joey sighed before continuing.

"Come over to my place tonight. I'll cook dinner and we can talk. There are things you need to know and I need to be the one to tell you."

With that he slid off the desk, gathering himself to leave.

"7 o'clock, I'm sure you know where I live."

He said, looking straight into Kaiba's eyes before leaving the office to finish his lunch. Joey bustled around his apartment, checking the baby red potatoes again to make sure they weren't burning. He was making one of Kaiba's favorite dishes, beef tenderloin with potatoes and asparagus. One of the perks of being Kaiba's former booty call was knowing the man's tastes, including food.

The kitchen smelled slightly of lavender, which Kaiba used to calm down after stressful days of working. The wine was a tasty but surprising inexpensive local Merlot that would pair well with his dish. Joey had turned the lights down slightly in the dining room, knowing that staring at computers all day led to a bit of eye strain at night.

He had even thrown on his old Duelist Kingdom green jacket, the one he had worn during their first duel and had casually placed his deck on the counter, figuring it might cut out some of the tension. He fixed his hair one last time as a knock sounded on the door at 7:00 on the dot.  
He unlocked the door and opened it, stepping back to allow the brunet to sweep into the room, observing. The older man was tense, cagey, looking ready to disappear at a moments notice.

"Would you like me to take your coat?"

Joey asked, pointing to the long white Battle City duster that Kaiba still wore religiously. Kaiba shook his head, still looking around the place as if he was expecting something.

"Is something wrong Kaiba?"

Joey asked, noticing how tense he was.

"I've never been in your place Wheeler. I'm just making sure I don't track home any fleas."

Kaiba sneered, inching over to the couch and inspecting it carefully before sitting down, ramrod straight and hands on his knees like he was awaiting some sort of punishment. Joey couldn't help but laugh at Kaiba's face, shaking his head as he wandered back into the kitchen.

He reappeared after a few minutes, carrying two glasses of wine. He offered one to his guest before sitting down on the couch next to him, taking a sip before placing it down. Kaiba stared down at it, swirling the red liquid around and tilting it back and forth like he was checking for poison.

"Oh for pete's sake!"

Joey snapped, leaning over to take a sip out of Kaiba's wine.

"There, are you happy? Jeez I forgotten how paranoid you can be."

He rolled his eyes and settled back on the couch, enjoying the warmth of the CEO next to him for a few moments before he had to confess what was going on. Kaiba still toyed with his glass, finally taking a sip and nodding before he placed it on the coffee table next to Joey's.

He was hyper-aware of the blond next to him, smelling like vanilla and... cherry blossoms? That was a new one. Kaiba sniffed again, trying to be discrete as he tried to place that smell.

A flash of a different blonde came to him, one that had beaten him recently in a tournament, who had celebrated her victory wrapped around Joey like she owned him and had caused him to storm out of his own tournament in a jealous rage, jealous not because of her victory on the field but her seeming victory off it.

Joey had been in love with the older woman for years, and if the pieces of information he had received the past few weeks were true than she may have finally decided to return the feelings. It looked like he was trapped in another game, one that he was certainly determined to win.

He winced as his head started to throb, the familiar feelings of annoyance and unbeatable desire to dominate over everyone being pounded back into him.

Joey glanced over at him, concern etched on his face.

"Hey Kaiba, there's some migraine meds in the bathroom, why don't you go take one while I set out our dinner? It's the second door on the left."

He suggested, recognizing the look on Kaiba's face. He nodded, standing up carefully so he would not fall back down before wandering down the hall, reaching blindly for the door knob. He fumbled in the cabinet, looking for the pills. Once he found them he swallowed down two, not caring that it was

probably over kill. He placed it back next to the Midol and shut the door, trying to ignore the spattering of other feminine products that were behind the vanity mirror. Instead he sat in the dark for a few minutes, blinking back the shooting pain that was starting to form behind his eyes.  
After what seemed like hours, he finally got back up, shaking off the last drops of pain before leaving the restroom. He was a Kaiba after it, it wouldn't do to show any kind of weakness.

Joey had already served dinner, placing a small portion on Kaiba's plate in case he wasn't able to eat. The blond watched him carefully as Kaiba sat down and proceeded to cut up his meat like nothing had happened.

Joey sighed, digging into his own plate, knowing from experience that the CEO would be to stubborn to admit he shouldn't be eating at that moment. They ate in silence, both waiting for the other to speak. Joey finished his dinner first, leaning back in the chair and sighing in happiness.

"Man, I'm a good chef."

He commented, knowing that he would have to be the bigger man and let Kaiba have the victory if he wanted things to move forward. Kaiba snorted in response, chewing on his last few pieces of potato

before swallowing.

"I've had better, I think you're losing your touch mutt."

Joey rolled his eyes, rubbing his belly.

"You're just mad that I'm better than you at something. Betcha you couldn't cook like I do."

He smiled, watching Kaiba squirm a bit under his gaze. Mokuba had told Joey about a few of Kaiba's cooking experiences, which had been an endless supply of amusement to the blond, and had annoyed Kaiba to no end.

Joey stretched before getting out of his chair and picking up the plates.

"Why don't you go sit in the living room? I'll make you some coffee maybe that'll help with your headache."

Kaiba nodded, slowly pushing himself away from the table and wandering back to the couch. He closed his eyes, letting the slow steady throbbing take a break for a moment. Luckily, the usual sensitivity to smells hadn't accompanied this one, or he would be in the bathroom all night.

Warm hands began to massage his temples, and Kaiba opened his eyes to see Joey sitting next to him, softly rubbing his headache away just like Mokuba always did. The brunet closed his eyes again, not wanting to admit how good it felt to have Joey doing that.

"Coffee will be done in a minute Kaiba. How's your head feeling?"

Kaiba didn't answer, half asleep due to the blond's tender touch. Joey grinned to himself, enjoying watching the CEO melt with just a few touches. It was amazing how someone so strong could be undone just by someone who showed him a little compassion and acted like he was human like everyone else.

Joey stroked his face a few more times before getting up and heading into the kitchen, coming back with a cup of coffee which he placed in front of Kaiba. The blue eyes fluttered open, drawn by the smell of a substance that had kept him alive for years.

Kaiba reached for the mug, wrapping his arms around it and taking a few cautious sips, smiling a little as the pain in his head receded some more. Joey watched him, anxiously toying with the seam of his jeans, pulling on a single thread that was becoming undone.

"So, Mai asked me to marry her the other day."

He blurted out, unable to stop himself. Kaiba froze, gripping the mug as tightly as he could, surprised it didn't shatter in his hands.

"I guess congratulations are in order then."

He said stiffly, placing the mug back down on the table so he wouldn't burn himself.

"I didn't say yes. She kind of freaked when I told her that I had feelings for someone else."

"And who would this unlucky person be Wheeler?"

Joey rolled his eyes, annoyed.

"After everything that's happened between us, can't you call me by my name? It's Joey. Jo-ey. C'mon I know you can say it with me."

He mouthed his own name several times, hoping to get the other man to actually say it. Kaiba ignored him, feeling his headache starting to come back. Joey frowned at him, rolling his eyes.

"I should have taken her up on her offer. I was being stupid and romantic thinking-"

He stopped himself, frowning. Joey slid off of the couch, standing up only to have his coat be grabbed. He looked down into those cold blue eyes, which hid behind a colder truth that neither of them wanted to admit.

"I thought you and I could actually do something, be something but that's just insane. You're never going to get past that spoiled little rich boy who thinks he's better than me, and I'm tired of trying to prove to you otherwise."

Kaiba pulled Joey back down, the blond falling gracelessly on Kaiba's lap. The brunet quickly wrapped his arms around Joey, pulling him close and kissing him harshly. Joey responded, wrapping his arms around the CEO's neck and turning his body around so he was straddling him.

After a few minutes he pulled away, sliding off Kaiba's lap and standing, crossing his arms to stare down at his guest.

"I don't know why you're whining mutt, you're the one who said he wasn't interested in a relationship with me. Now you're gonna what, play me and Mai off each other and see who you think has more to offer. No thanks, I have no time for that."

Joey flinched slightly at his accusations, knowing that most of this mess was his own fault.

"It's not that it's just..."

He sat down on the coffee table, looking Kaiba straight in the eye.

"I just need to know... when did you realize that you had feelings for me?"

Kaiba frowned at the question, not sure what the blond was getting at.

"I haven't been sitting around pining for you since Battle City if that's what you're asking."

Joey shook his head, annoyed.

"That's not what I'm saying. Obviously, you knew you liked me, but I want to know when it all started.

It must have been awhile, or Yugi and Mokuba would not have been able to plan that date we went on. So what changed your mind?"

"Maybe I just grew up and realized that being a second-rate duelist wasn't such a bad thing. You've

done pretty well for yourself considering your pathetic upbringing and I found myself... interested in pursuing you."

"So it wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Yugi told you about the time I beat Atem?"

Joey questioned, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I fall to see how that's any of your business."

Kaiba snapped, sweat appearing on his forehead.

"I think it is my business. You've been trying to beat Atem since he beat you all those years ago. You've been running around trying to hunt him down in the after life for years, leaving Mokuba all

alone with all of us. You tried fighting against Yugi, but he keeps beating you. So you decided to go for the next best thing."

He leaned in, angrily looking at the CEO.

"I'm not here to be your little bitch Kaiba. You're not going to claim me so you can feel like you beat Atem at something. I don't know what goes on in that brain of yours but I'm not going to be a part of it anymore. No more challenges, no more duels, no more nothing. I'm done."

He paused to lock eyes with Kaiba, who's frown was getting even deeper.

"I asked you over here tonight because I hoped for once you would be honest with me and tell me how you really felt. I can't trust you, and without that trust it doesn't matter how I feel, things will never be good between us."

Kaiba reached for Joey's hands, gripping them tightly.

"The feelings I had for Atem have nothing to do with what happened between us."

He snapped. Joey pulled away from him, not giving an inch.

"So what is it then? My looks haven't changed much, neither has my personality. So what is it that I do differently now that you find so endearing?"

Kaiba avoided his gaze, knowing there was no answer that would make this any easier for either one of them.

Joey stood again, walking into the kitchen so he could wash the dishes that had been soaking. After a few minutes of scrubbing Kaiba appeared, picking up a dish towel and silently drying off the dishes. The two boys worked together, silently cleaning up the remnants of their dinner together.

A/N: I didn't mean to leave this in such a weird spot, but I got long winded again :) Literally, I was sitting on 12+ pages so I split this up into two chapters, so expect another chapter in a day or two. Believe it or not I'm almost done with this one too. Gotta end it somewhere right?


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Here's the second half of this chapter. I basically split this up because I thought it was too long to read in one sitting. Please enjoy, and thank you for reading!

Joey woke up the next morning, still in a fowl mood. Last night had not gone according to plan at all, and he was really upset by it. He glanced at his phone, seeing that there was still time before he had to get up. He rolled over, looking at Kaiba's sleeping face in the early morning light.

Kaiba's migraine hadn't subsided after they finished cleaning, and when he could barely walk towards the door Joey had insisted that he stay the night, worried that Kaiba would end up in a ditch

somewhere.

There had been a lot of shuffling and reorganizing, but after a few short arguments they had both ended up in Joey's bed, even though they both silently swore not to touch each other. Joey watched him for a few minutes, watching as his chestnut locks covered his face, sleep allowing them to defy their usually position on his head.

"If only this could be better, if only this could work."

He whispered, touching the other man's face gently. He looked at his phone again, figuring that he might as well get moving and take a shower before work.

"This is going to be a long day."

He muttered, pushing himself off the bed and entering the bathroom. He showered himself quickly, knowing that he would have to get Kaiba up soon or risk the wrath of the CEO. He left the bathroom, toweling his hair dry. Kaiba was up, leaning against the wall, blinking and looking around dazed.

"You OK Kaiba? How's your headache?"

Joey asked, noting the confused look on the others face. Kaiba winced, rubbing his temples as a sharp pain entered them.

"I'll take that as a no."

Joey walked over and grabbed Kaiba's phone off the bedside table. Grabbing Kaiba's hand, he pressed his thumb on the home key so he could open it, then he proceeded to look for a number.

"What are you doing Wheeler? Give that back to me."

Kaiba growled, weakly reaching up to get his property back from the blond.

"I'm calling Mokuba and letting him know you're not going into work today. You need to lay low for a bit, you look like hell, and I'm saying that as nicely as I possibly can."

Kaiba growled again, attempting yet again to get off the bed and recover his phone.

"Mokuba won't believe it if you text him from my phone. He'll have my entire security force here in a few minutes."

"I know, that's why I'm calling him."

Joey said, hitting the send button on Kaiba's phone while jumping back out of the CEO's reach. Realizing it was not going to be safe standing in his bedroom, Joey dashed back into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He waited for a few more rings before Mokuba answered.

"Big brother? Why are you calling me?"

Mokuba asked, rubbing his eyes. He had just gotten up a few minutes ago, and was about to head into the shower before he met his brother for breakfast.

"Hey kid it's Joey."

Mokuba stopped short, surprised. He glanced down at his phone and sure enough there was his brother's picture looking back at him.

"Joey! Why do you have my brother's phone? Where is he? Is he hurt let me speak to him!"

"Hold on a sec Mokuba. I gotta deal with something."

He heard banging in the background and Joey yelling, which instantly brought the younger boys mind to thinking that his brother had been kidnapped. He started to make his way down the hall, hoping his brother was in his bedroom. Finally Joey came back on, sighing.

"Sorry kid. Listen, I'm sure Kaiba told you he was coming over here last nigh-. JEEZ ALREADY CALM DOWN! Anyway, he came over, we got into it, and he had one of his episodes. I made him stay here, but I don't think he should be- I'LL LET YOU TALK TO HIM IN A MINUTE JUST RELAX ALREADY! Sorry, you know how he can be. I'm calling off for him today, can you get the message to who needs to know it?"

Mokuba blinked a few times, not knowing what to say.

"How bad is he Joey? Do I need to come over?"

"I'll put it this way. All that banging you're hearing is him trying to get in here and he hasn't been able to. What does that tell you?"

Mokuba swore under his breath, knowing that his brother would never let something as simple as a door get between him and something he really wanted.

"Can I talk to him please... I'll get him to relax."

Joey nodded, cracking the door open to look at Kaiba with a smile.

"Hey Kaiba, it's for you!"

He smiled, handing the phone over to the brunet. Kaiba jammed the phone to his ear, listening quietly as his brother talked. He hung up after a few minutes, turning and walking back over to the bed and sitting down. Joey smiled, knowing that the CEO Kaiba had lost to the big brother Kaiba. His phone binged then, and Joey carefully left the bathroom to pick it up under Kaiba's glare.

 _'Let me know if you need anything... I'm going to send a car later on to pick him up.'_

Joey sent him back a _'Gotcha'_ before placing his phone down.

"Would you like me to tuck you in or can you handle that yourself?"

He grinned, looking over at the annoyed brunet. Kaiba choose to ignore him, closing his eyes and sighing. Joey watched him before turning away, his heart beating a little bit faster. No matter what, he needed to stick to the decision he made last night.

A romance with Kaiba would only end in pain, the CEO was unable to open himself up to something that could actually be good for him. Joey picked up his phone, leaving the bedroom to go make breakfast before he headed off to work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kaiba laid in bed, rubbing his temples as the last aspects of sleep left him. It was almost 1, and he had been out for hours. Joey had drugged his tea and taken his phone and keys, ensuring that the CEO wouldn't leave the apartment.

"For someone who says he doesn't want to be in a relationship, he sure is acting like an obsesses ex-girlfriend."

He muttered, slowly putting his feet on the ground. Shuffling towards the door, he made his way to the coffee pot, turning it on to brew some caffeine. Once he filled a mug, he entered the living room and settled on the couch.

Turning on the TV, he flipped through the channels, not impressed with what daytime TV had to offer. He glanced at the clock on the wall, counting the minutes until that mutt would show up and he could get his things back.

"This is ridiculous. I'll just hot wire my car and go to work, it won't be that easy keeping Seto Kaiba in one place."

He muttered, looking around for his jacket. He attempted to fix his hair as nicely as he could without products, staring at his tired face in the mirror.

"Maybe Mokuba's right, I am getting old."

He muttered, smoothing his hair to hide a few grays poking through the brown. Finally ready, he opened the door, only to almost trip over Roland who was standing in the hall.

"What are you doing here?"

He snapped, eyeing his head of security. Roland snapped to attention, looking straight ahead instead of at his annoyed boss.

"Mokuba sent me over here with some things that belong to you."

He handed Kaiba his keys and his phone.

"I knocked a few times but you didn't answer so I figured you were still asleep."

Kaiba glared at the older man, about ready to blow his top at someone.

"Fine. I need to get to Kaiba Corp anyway. You can follow me there."

With that he marched down the hallway, sweeping out of the building without waiting for Roland to respond.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Three weeks later Yugi was about ready to kill someone. It was bad when Kaiba and Joey would fight back when they were teens, but not it was worse. Since they were employees, Kaiba couldn't outright harass Joey, but he definitely could ignore him.

Whenever they had a meeting, Kaiba would address everyone in the room besides Joey, artfully leaving the blond out of the conversation. When that wasn't possible, the ice in the brunet's voice was enough to freeze an entire room. Joey wasn't much better, fidgeting and sparing glances at his boss whenever he thought possible.

Every once in a while he would touch the necklace he had started wearing, the green gem shining no matter how bright it was outside. Kaiba would glare at him, and Joey would smile sheepishly and duck his head while Yugi would moan to himself.

It was becoming annoying and pointless, and if the two boys didn't figure out how to work together soon he was going to hurt both of them.

Speaking of which... Yugi shifted his eyes towards Joey who was currently tapping his hands on his legs and trying to ignore the meeting. Kaiba was on Yugi's other side, sitting at the head of the table staring at Pegasus.

The silver-haired man knew something had been going on, but he was having trouble pinpointing exactly what. Even without the powers of his eye, he could still sense things, and right now Kaiba was

talking about as loud as anyone could be without actually saying anything. Pegasus touched his forehead briefly, hoping to stop the headache he knew would form from the tension.

"Excuse me Kaiba-boy."

He said, holding up a hand. Kaiba snarled at the nick-name, still hating it after all this time.

"My time is precious Pegasus. What do you want."

Pegasus smiled, looking over to his left at Joey.

"Dear Joseph, something seems to be different about you, but I can't seem to place a finger on it yet. Did you do something different with your hair?"

Joey reached up to touch his golden locks, blinking in confusion.

"No, it's not that. Let me see here."

Pegasus pretended to look Joey up and down before settling on his necklace.

"Now, I know that wasn't here before. Isn't that the Orichalcos stone that Ms. Valentine wore when she was under their control? The one she wore when she beat me and took my soul?"

Joey placed a hand on the necklace, wishing he had thought to take it off before the meeting. Leave it to Pegasus to point out the one thing that would cause a problem.

"I didn't realize the two of you were an item. Congratulations, you're a lucky man."

Pegasus patted Joey on the hand, ignored Kaiba's growling as he walked out of the conference and slammed the door.

Joey called off work the next day, too annoyed at Pegasus and worried about how Kaiba would act to show up. Yugi texted him throughout the day, reporting each time he received a phone call from their boss and begging Joey to come in to work tomorrow.

Joey promised he would, but he had to deal with a few things first. He wrote out a list, booted up the computer and started to type.

The next morning he showed up at the office at 7, ready to put his plan into action. He knew Kaiba would be there, and hopefully not too many of his co-workers. This could go really bad or really good depending on his mood.

He knocked on Kaiba's door, manila envelope tucked gently under his armpit.

"Come in."

Kaiba snapped, too involved in his morning paperwork to notice who was standing in front of him. Joey coughed, causing the brunet to look at him.

"What do you want Wheeler? I'm busy."

Joey smiled as he sat down in the chair, placing the envelope on his lap.

"I need to talk to you about something Kaiba."

"Is this another one of your waffling relationship discussions mutt? I thought we were done with this already? Didn't you tell me you were going to live happily after ever with Mai."

Joey blinked, Kaiba's annoyance throwing him off track.

"Actually, that was what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, Mai came back into town this weekend and we had a huge fight about everything. We ended up discussing a lot of things, and it all came back to the same subject-you."

Kaiba blinked, not expecting that at all.

"She got me to admit a lot of things that I wasn't aware of, about how I feel about her and about you. How much you two really had in common and why I can't seem to choose between you."

Without realizing what he was doing, Kaiba leaned forward.

"We kept talking and talking, and realized that we can't have a relationship if I'm still harboring some sort of feelings for someone else."

Kaiba snorted at that, rolling his eyes at the blond.

"So what exactly are you saying Joey?"

He asked, smirking a bit. Joey smiled at him, getting up and leaning against Kaiba's desk to give the brunet a long kiss.

"I'm saying that while the past is important, I don't want it to dictate my future. I love Mai, and there was a time where I would have given up everything to be with her. Now, I realize that I want different things out of my life."

Joey gently brushed aside a piece of hair, watching Kaiba's gaze carefully.

"I had this whole big speech planned out, but I just paraphrase it for you. I haven't been able to stop thinking about your proposal since you made it. I thought it was just a weird bug I got in my system that would work it's way out but I was wrong. I want you in my life, even though you drive me crazy all the time."

With that, Joey bit his bottom lip, looking down at the folder in his lap. He opened it, pulling out a few pieces of paper and placing it on Kaiba's desk. The CEO looked them over, arching an eyebrow as he read further down.

"What the hell is this Wheeler?"

He asked, pointing down at the paper.

"Geez Kaiba, I figured you at least would understand a contract."

"I know it's a contract Wheeler, but I don't understand what it is for."

Joey sighed, shaking his head.

"I was trying to be romantic Kaiba. You know, how you started this whole thing with a contract and now I'm giving you one- haven't you ever seen a chick flick before?"

Kaiba shook his head, reading the contract over again.

"This is missing a few pages. There's only 4 here and it says there should be 7."

"Yea, I wanted to explain these first." J

Joey pulled out the last three pages, clearing his throat.

"These are the terms we are both agreeing too. The first is a time table of when we start telling people and when we allow our relationship to become public to the media. The second is a promise of how much time we spend together and with each others friends and family. I'm not abandoning the gang just to be with you. The third is a little tricky."

He paused, taking a deep breath.  
"I turned down Mai's marriage proposal, but she asked me another question. Mai wants to settle down and be a mother, and she has asked me to have one with her and I agreed. I am telling you this now, because you need to decide if you are OK with that. I am going to be a part of my child's life no matter what happens with Mai."

Joey placed the last piece of paper on Kaiba's desk, the brunet staring at him open mouthed.

"I'll give you some time to think about it."

Joey smiled, patting Kaiba on the shoulder before leaving him stunned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So basically, I'm just waiting for him to laugh in my face or agree to my terms."  
Joey said, twirling in his chair talking to Yugi. It had be almost a week since he had talked to Kaiba, and the waiting was killing him. Kaiba had gone back to totally ignoring the blond, driving him nuts. Yugi shook his head, hardly believing Joey's tale.

"So, when does the whole Mai being pregnant thing start? I want to be sure to be far away when she starts her mood swings."  
"I'm just wanting for Kaiba to give me an answer. I don't want this hanging over my head."  
Joey shrugged, writing down some more information. The phone rang then and Yugi picked it up, listening for a second.

"I'll be right back Joey, Mokuba wants to look at the quarter files."

Joey nodded, barely noticing when Yugi left the room. The door opened a while later, and Joey looked up to smile at his best friend-only to have a pile of papers thrown on his desk.

"What the-"  
He looked up into Kaiba's smirking face.

"What the hell is this Kaiba?"  
He asked, looking down at the pile. The words on the paper jumped out at him.

"Termination papers! You're firing me! What, can't stand looking at me anymore?!"

Joey shouted, picking up the closest thing he could grab and threw the stapler at his soon to be ex-boss, who gracefully side-stepped the projectile. He reached over and grabbed Joey's arm, pulling the blond around the desk so they were standing flush against each other.

"You've ever heard about nepotism pup? Kaiba Corp has a strict policy about superiors dating subordinates, and since I am clearly your superior in every way, I am forced to fire you. Don't worry though, I've already prepared a room for you at the mansion and talked to your landlord. All you got to do is sign this termination paper and the relationship agreement you wrote up."

Joey's eyes never left Kaiba's as he reached blindly behind himself, looking for the papers. He signed the termination paper first, handing it over to Kaiba who smiled. The CEO tucked the paper into his jacket before pulling Joey back towards him.

"Kaiba Corp thanks you for your time. Now, let me discuss our separation package."  
He said huskily, kissing the blond while reaching for his own belt buckle. Joey pushed him down on the floor, ripping Kaiba's shirt off. The two quickly consummated their new relationship, much to the shock of Yugi who walked in halfway through and disappeared as soon as he knew what was going on.

A/N: Hey look, Joey finally made a decision! Too bad Yugi had to be permanently traumatized in the process. I think next chapter will be the last, or Joey might change his mind again!


	13. Chapter 13

A

A/N: And the long waited for epilogue to Counter offer is here, thanks to talyag for reviewing and liking this story… might want to grab some crackers to go along with the cheesiness.

2 years later…

"C'mon baby, push for me. I know you can do it. C'mon, c'mon…"

Joey wiped the sweat away from Mai's brow, smiling brightly at her as she screamed in agony and gripped his hand tighter. Joey patted her hand, looking across at Kaiba, who was holding Mai's other hand and looking like he was about to vomit.

"Mai, I know you are tired, but I need you to give me a couple of big pushes so we can get her out. Deep breaths, and push."

The doctor said, leaning in to help guide Mai and Joey's daughter into the world. Mai yelled one more time, and all the sudden it was over, and the world changed.

"Congrats you two, you're now parent."

The doctor said, handing the baby off to a nurse who quickly wrapped her up before handing her to Mai for a moment.

"Just a quick peek, and then we will go and get her cleaned off for you."

Mai smiled, looking down at her in amazement. Joey gazed down, too afraid to touch her.

"She looks like Serenity did when she was born.""

He commented, watching as the nurse took her back to get washed up and measured.

"Great, 14 hours of labor for her to look like your side of the family… though I guess Serenity's the best of the options."

Mai said, leaning back against the pillows and sighing. Joey linked his fingers with Mai, pulling her hand up to kiss it gently.

"You did marvelous darling."

He said, winking at her.

"Thanks Joey."

She said, smiling at her friend in appreciation. Kaiba smiled as he witnessed the scene between the two.

"I'm going to go tell everyone that everything's ok, and give you two a minute."

He announced, brushing himself off and straightening his coat before leaving the room. Mai watched him go, shanking her head.

"Who would have thought that all Kaiba needed was to get laid? "

She commented, winking at Joey before leaning back and closing her eyes. The two friends relaxed for a minute before the nurse brought back in their daughter.

"How you guys picked out a name yet?"

She asked handing her back to her mother.

"Not yet, we wanted to look at her and pick one out then."

Joey answered, smiling down at the bundle in Mai's arms, who was looking like she couldn't decide whether to sleep or cry.

"Well, she's healthy. Ten toes, ten fingers, and she passed all of her testing. 21 ½ inches and 8lbs 6 ounces. Congrats, you two make some great babies."

The nurse said, smiling.

"I'll give you two a few minutes alone, but I know that your friends are waiting to see you, so just let me know when you're ready."

Joey nodded, not wanting to take his eyes off of his daughter for a second. Mai scooted over, nodding to Joey to sit next to her on the bed.

"Do you want to hold her?"

She asked after he got settled. Joey nodded, reaching out for her.

"So what are we going to name her?"

He asked, smiling down at the baby before looking back up at Mai.

"I was thinking- how about Diana? Roman Goddess of the hunt who had the ability to talk to animals. She'll grow up to be strong, fierce, and independent."

"Just like her mama."

Joey whispered, leaning over to kiss Mai on the right temple. The two blonde's relaxed, enjoying a few minutes of silence before everyone came bounding inside. A quiet tape at the door, and Kaiba stuck his head inside, blinking at them sitting on the bed before entering.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, looking apprehensively at the small child.

"I'm exhausted, but we've decided on a name. Diana."

Mai said, running her fingers down her daughter's arm. Kaiba nodded, before producing a small box.

"I thought that now would be the best time for you to receive your push present."

He said, handing her the jewelry box. Mai's eyes light up with mischief while she shook it.

"Ooo, maybe it's a pair of diamond earrings? Or a necklace? Did you buy it Kaiba or did Joey pick it out?"

"Hey what's that supposed to mean."?"

"Honey, I love you, but your taste in anything is atrocious. I mean you still have that green jacket from Duelist Kingdome."

Mai said, smiling as joey pouted on the bed. She opened thebox, blinking in surprise as the small keychain sitting in it.

"I don't understand-what is this."

"Well, Kaiba and I have been talking, and it seems a shame for you to have to go find a new place with a newborn. So we came up with a solution. Move into the mansion with us. You can have the west wingand decorate it however you want. That way, you'll always have us to relie on when Diana needs anything."

Mai's eyes filled up with tears, and she sniffledloudly.

"You guys, this is too much, and I don't want to be in the way of anything."

"Well Kaiba's at the office most of the time anyway, it would be nice to have the company."

Joey said, sticking his tongue out at the CEO, who rolled his eyes. Mai regarded both men for a minute before smiling.

"Well if you guys insist, who am I to say no?"

Joey cheered, almost waking up Diana snorted before falling back to sleep.

"She definitely gets that from your side of the family mutt."

Kaiba said before Mai swatted him on the chest.

"You wanna hold her Kaiba? I mean, I guess you're kinda her Uncle right? Or step-father? Cousin? Baby daddy's sugar daddy? Maybe we should have thought this one through…"

Joey said, getting lost in his thoughts while Mai and Kaiba groaned.


End file.
